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| | | May 23, 2004
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Sunday, May 23, 2004 |
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Security alert! And this time, it ain't Microsoft
Security was once again in the focus, but surprise, surprise -- Microsoft was simply a spectator. Cisco code was leaked, Macintosh flaws were unveiled and open source code repository systems were found to be critically vulnerable.
 Cisco Systems confirmed significant portions of the source code for its proprietary software that runs network hardware devices was publicly leaked on the Internet. A Russian web site reported 800 MB of Cisco's Internetwork Operating System (IOS) source code were stolen from the company. Some experts, however, downplayed the gravity of the security breach, noting the code is useless without the expensive hardware devices.
More from: CNET News.com 1 2 | Computerworld 1 2 3 | CRN 1 2 | InternetNews.com
Source code turned out to be vulnerable to attack in the open-source community, too. A security researcher announced he had discovered critical flaws in the Concurrent Versions System (CVS), an application used to manage primarily open-source program code, and Subversion, a CVS offshoot. The vulnerabilities may allow a malicious user to breach the security of a computer running the repository software and modify source-code without authorization.
More from: CNET News.com | InfoWorld | SearchEnterpriseLinux.com
Apple fixed a critical security hole in its Mac OS X operating system which could allow an attacker to execute malicious code on a user's computer. The vulnerability could be exploited from a specifically crafted web page to which the user could be tricked either by an e-mail message or via a web site link.
More from: CNET News.com | The Mac Observer | Reuters
ICANN wants more money
The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), the oversight body for Internet's domain name system, announced a proposal to double its budget for the next fiscal year. ICANN is seeking to spend $15.8 million, an increase of 82 percent compared to the money being spend in the current fiscal year. The new budget will prompt an increase of the fees ICANN charges domain name registrars. The body justified its request with a goal to increase its staff and speed up the process of planning, reviewing and deciding on new proposals for Internet's domain name system. However, Network Solutions, the largest domain name registrar, criticized the move as unjustified. But interestingly, Network Solutions is suing ICANN for moving too slow on new technology proposals and thus hampering its business development.
More from: CNET News.com | Computer Business Review | eWeek
Apple gives the iPod more room to blossom
After several quarters proved the trend of Apple's increasingly iPod-centric business, the company officially split its hardware development into two. Jon Rubinstein, Apple's senior vice president for hardware development, will head the new iPod division. Tim Cook, executive vice president of worldwide sales and operations, will be in charge of Macintosh development. The move reflects the results from last quarter which indicated the company sold more iPods than Macintosh computers. The portable digital music player is rapidly changing Apple's sources of revenue, thus transforming the company's orientation and becoming its primary focus.
More from: CNET News.com | CRN | eWeek | InfoWorld | MacCentral | The Register | Reuters
In Other News...
A newly published report by a little known Washington, D.C. think-tank is questioning if Linus Torvalds authored the Linux operating system from scratch. A report by the Alexis de Tocqueville Institution suggests Torvalds used a significant portion of Minix, a UNIX clone, in creating the Linux kernel in 1991.
Research firm Gartner released information this week indicating 100 million computer systems will be replaced in 2004, and 120 million are set to be replaced next year. According to Gartner's analysts PC shipments will increase as 30 percent of all working systems in the world are at least three years old.
IBM asked the Utah court which handles SCO's Linux case against it to issue a speedy ruling that rejects all copyright infringement claims. Big Blue filed a motion for summary judgment on the basis that The SCO Group has failed to put forward evidence that IBM violated any of SCO's copyrights.
Security software maker Symantec will acquire Brightmail for $370 million. California-based Brightmail, a developer of spam-blocking software, recently set itself on the path to an initial public offering. The acquisition is the latest in a series of buyouts that Symantec has undertaken in the last few years in a bid to expand its reach on the software market.
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