Vista Sales Hit $60 Million

Microsoft countered criticism about the uptake of Windows Vista by announcing it now has shipped 60 million copies of the operating system and that Vista eclipsed the entire install base of Apple in the first five weeks of shipment.

A Microsoft representative said there are 42 million PCs covered by volume licensing annuity agreements for Vista and that deployments were being driven by corporate rollouts, governments and mid-market customers.

Microsoft also says the install base of Windows computers this coming 12 months will reach one billion.

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$500 million worth of pirated software found in China

Chinese authorities and the FBI worked together to seize more than 290,000 counterfeit software CDs and certificates of authenticity valued at $500 million. The officials also arrested 25 people. The uncovered pirated software included Symantec and Microsoft products.

Software such as Windows Vista, XP and Server, were among those uncovered. Software piracy deprived the software industry of an estimated $40 billion in 2006.

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iPhone securty hole discovered

Computer security experts have discovered a flaw in the iPhone that lets attackers gain full access to the device, potentially making users' private information available to hackers.

The hack can be activated through a malicious Web site, a wireless access point or a link sent to the phone through e-mail or a text message. After it's activated, an attacker can make the phone transmit files or passwords, run up wireless services or even record audio and relay it back to the attacker.

Apple has already sent details of the hack and a potential solution and a company spokeswoman tells the Times that Apple is on the case.

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Latest Firefox Browser Fixes Security Holes

Firefox version 2.0.0.5 fixes at least 7 security vulnerabilities with this release. Patches built into 2.0.0.5 included those meant to address multiple memory corruption bugs, a cross-site scripting vulnerability, and a flaw that could give attackers access to the browser's cache.

Unless you are using a version of Firefox earlier than 1.5.x, you should soon be prompted to upgrade to the latest version. Microsoft sends out a set of patches only once every month, but the virtual Firefox security testing team is helping Mozilla turnaround updates almost as quickly as it receives reports of any flaws.

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Microsoft Windows Home Server on its way

Microsoft announced today that Windows Home Server has been released to manufacturing. Users will be able to obtain Windows Home Server from any number of resellers who will offer the server software in "OEM bundles".

Windows Home Server (WHS) is based off of Windows Server 2003 and targeted at users who want an easy way to back up all of the important data in their house. It offers securable file and print sharing that you can centrally manage and supports disaster recovery functions, including scheduled snapshots of client systems that can be fully restored by booting off of a CD that connects to WHS server.

There should be a 120-day evaluation copy available within the next few months.

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Logitech introduces its air mouse

Logitech has come up with a laser mouse that works on the desk and in the air, similar to the way people use a remote to control a television. It uses technologies called Freespace motion control, gesture command and wireless which allows users to point, select and play media files with just a flick of the wrist. These combined technologies allow a user to hold the mouse in any orientation and point in any direction.

The rechargeable MX Air mouse uses 2.4 GHz digital cordless technology, which offers a range of up to 30 feet. The Logitech MX Air mouse is expected to be available in the US and Europe beginning in August. Its suggested retail price in the US is $149.99.

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Mozilla Delays Firefox 3.0 Beta

Firefox 3.0's first beta has been delayed and it won't appear until the middle of September. The new tests are showing an 18% increase in its memory footprint in addition to other issues.

Several features intended for the Firefox 3.0 final have yet to make it into the code, including an anti-malware tool and application programming interfaces needed to support offline Web software.

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Scammers give to charities to test stolen credit cards

Scammers using stolen credit cards to make small donations to online charities. Security researchers believe the donations are being made to test whether a stolen card is still active.

According to security company Symantec, bank behavior monitors may be less likely to pick up on donations to charities. Legitimate charitable donations are not daily transactions for anyone with a credit card, and so it would be difficult to determine if they are out of the norm.

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Hackers take advantage of iPhone hype

Hackers were quick to jump on the iPhone hype sending out e-mails that lure users to malicious Web sites that infect their machines and turn them into bots for the hackers.

Researchers at security company Secure Computing discovered a Web site set up to exploit more than ten ActiveX vulnerabilities in an attempt to install a malicious payload. This piece of malware is designed to open up a back door in the computer and turn it into a bot that fills out the hackers' botnet.

Hackers set up the bot to send out spam. Since the malware is rootkit-based, explained researchers, it would be simple for a hacker to update the malware anytime he wants to carry out other malicious tasks, like key logging to capture the user's financial credentials.

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