This is the computer security story that keeps needing updates. This time it looks as if Apple has issued a patch that really covers all known holes. Wired News reported today that "Security Update 2004-06-07, released noiselessly on Monday morning, closes major gaps in the way OS X handles browser helper applications. The fix is the first acknowledgment from Apple of the vulnerabilities, although … [Read more...] about The patch all Mac users need
Leapster: For parents or kids?
Our family may be unusual, but in our case the LeapPad latptop-like system was more for us than for our son. He played with it on his own about three times and that was the end of it. We didn't feel inclined to force it on him, though I suspect most parents would justifiably want more of a return on their investment. Judging from this Washington Post piece, the same may not be true for the … [Read more...] about Leapster: For parents or kids?
BT to block child porn
Internet service providers have been saying the technology isn't available and such filtering wouldn't be economically feasible. But this week British Telecom, the UK's largest high-speed ISP announced it would soon start blocking all child pornography, The Guardian reports. Child pornography is illegal in most countries. The move "would not have been possible a year ago, but improvements in … [Read more...] about BT to block child porn
Snapshot: Online safety in US homes
A third of US parents are not concerned about their children's online safety, according to a nationwide survey for the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. The study, conducted by marketing services firm ADVO, Inc., found that 40% of parents (whose children under 18 use the Internet) are "very concerned," 28% "somewhat concerned," but - interestingly - the number of unconcerned … [Read more...] about Snapshot: Online safety in US homes
Beware Harry Potter worm!
Tell any Harry Potter fans at your house not to open any Potter-related attachments in emails from people they don't know. A computer worm that was thought to have been long gone has made a comeback with Harry's help, ZDNet UK reports . UK software company Sophos reported that "infections by the three-month-old 'P' variant of Netsky have risen dramatically over the past week, thanks to the worm's … [Read more...] about Beware Harry Potter worm!