| Rogue Applications on Facebook |
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 Facebook has recently taken steps to eliminate rogue applications that were being used to steal credentials of Facbeook users and spam people in their friends list. These were brought to Facebook's attention by a Trend Micro researcher, Rik Ferguson. Another researcher, Ronen Zilberman, also detected a CSRF (Cross-Site Request Forgery) attack on Facebook that can snatch personal details from targeted accounts.
The rogue applications were Friends, Friends Gifts, Matching, Pok and Your Photos, which were removed on Aug 21, 2009. Previously on Aug 19, 2009, Facebook removed Stream, Posts, Your Photos, Birthday Invitations, Inbox (1) and Inbox (2), which were also rogue applications.
The way the rogue application worked was that Facebook users got email notifications from Facebook which told them someone had commented on their posts. The users had to click on the link in the email to see the comment, which directed them to a fabricated website where the user was prompted to enter their Facebook user name and password to the Facebook account. Then they were prompted to install the rogue application. Once the application was installed, the user's contacts on Facebook started receiving spam emails and links to rogue applications.
Another issue Zilberman discovered was with the Facebook Application API, which allows an attacker to construct a malicious Facebook application (something anyone with a Facebook account can do), and use it to collect the full name, profile picture, and friends list for any Facebook user.
Facebook is working closely with industry researchers and also has an online Facebook group to monitor and report such rogue activity through Facebook. They are also proactively removing applications that are not created by them. Trend Micro researcher, Rik Ferguson, suggests "calways check the URL displayed in your browser's address bar before entering any sensitive information. Also, check the true destination of a link before clicking it by hovering your mouse pointer over it. If it looks suspicious, don't click it. Also, if you're a Facebook user, now would be a good time to go and review your privacy settings and clear out any applications you no longer use."
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| Vanish |
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 New software called Vanish, developed by the University of Washington, could help you in the future to maintain your privacy on your computer. A lot of data remains online for years even if original data is deleted by a user. Vanish will self-destruct your web correspondence enabling your data to permanently disappear. Deleting an email from your Inbox does not really mean that it cannot be found somewhere on your computer. Emails are kept on servers and can be readable. With Vanish, emails and Facebook messages could all cease to exist.
Vanish software encrypts data, breaks the encryption key into pieces and scatters them on machines across the network. Since machines are constantly joining and leaving peer-to-peer networks (just as when music files are shared online), pieces of the key disappear and cannot be reconstructed. It works with any text that is entered into a browser, whether it is web-based email or chat services, as well as, social networking sites such as Facebook or Google Docs. The thought that information is scattered across the web concerns some as it leaves those concerned about no rules for how, when or where data is stored.
Vanish needs to be installed by both the user and recipient of the posting in order for it to work. It is also possible that the recipient might still save and keep a copy of the message. Anyone involved in a lawsuit should be careful if they are using Vanish, as they may be required to retain certain information. Also, it is important to realize that it is a prototype, so it may still contain "bugs" that need to be worked out.
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| Zune HD |
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 Zune HD is Microsoft's Portable Media Player scheduled to be released on September 15, 2009 in 16GB (approx. $220) and 32GB (approx. $290) capacities. You may be asking how is it cooler than an iPod Touch? – it has a HD FM tuner radio; a feature many Apple users have been requesting but still don’t have. The Zune will also be priced lower than the iPod Touch. With an HD radio you will be able to pick up digital stations that others cannot and with the stations broadcasting in HD format you will receive enhanced quality. Zune has a large vibrant 3.3" color LCD display with OLED screen technology shown to lower power consumption, which will make the battery last longer. It has a built-in Wi-Fi for web browsing and downloading audio and video. It even boasts the ability to play high-definition videos to television, which is an advantage over the iPod Touch.
The Zune HD will be able to stream music over Wi-Fi, something the iPod Touch cannot do out of the box. The iPod Touch can stream music over Bluetooth (via A2DP) to compatible players and it not certain yet what kind of Bluetooth technology the Zune HD will use. Zune HD will have Zune Marketplace where you can have Unlimited Downloads for $14.99/month as opposed to iPod’s ITunes where songs are sold individually.
Zune HD’s battery life is expected to be 33 hours of music playback and 8.5 hours of video (with the Wi-Fi deactivated). The 32Gb version hold up to 10 hours of HD videos or 48 hours of standard video/ 8,000 songs/ 25,000 pictures whereas 16GB version will hold up to 5 hours of HD video, or 22 hours of standard video/ 4,000 songs/ 25,000 pictures.
Microsoft has stated that "their business is entertainment" and they are making Zune service available to deliver movies to their video game console, Xbox, and have in the works a Zune-branded music service for the Xbox, cell phones and PCs. Microsoft sees in their future the ability to deliver entertainment via an Internet-based Zune service to many devices and ones that may not even be their brand.
The Zune HD can be pre-ordered from Amazon, Microsoft Store, Best Buy, and Wal-Mart. The preorder will be available September 8th in only two colors, black and platinum, however, after September 15th, it will be available in five different colors. The preorder will require a credit card, but your card will not be charged until the order is shipped.
Click on this link to view the Zune HD in action - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JtMnkNh8jY
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| QuickBooks Tip |
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 Remove Old, Moved, or Non-existent Company Files from the QuickBooks Open Screen
When you run QuickBooks you may be presented with a screen such as this:
If you have company files listed that no longer exist, have been moved, or are for some other reason unable to open, you probably want to prevent them from being displayed. Here’s how:
QuickBooks doesn't provide a simple "delete" or "remove from list" option. You will need to first open a valid company file and log in. Click the "File" menu, select "Open Previous Company", and then "Set number of previous companies…"
Once the window opens, make note of the value in the text box, change the value to "1", then press "OK."
Now click the “File” menu, select “Open Previous Company”, and then "Set number of previous companies…" This time change the value in the text box back to the original number. Press "OK"
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