Attachment in bogus e-mails contains same Trojan horse that stole 1.6M records from Monster.com last year
Several airlines, including Delta and Northwest, have warned customers that bogus e-mails posing as ticket invoices contain malware and urged them to immediately delete the messages.
A researcher at McAfee confirmed the campaign in a post to the company's blog.
The e-mails, which purport to be from an airline, thank the recipient for using a new "Buy flight ticket Online" service on the airline's site, provide a login username and password, and say the person's credit card has been charged an amount usually in the $400 range. An attachment claims to be the invoice for the ticket and credit card charge.
However, the .zip file format attachment is a Trojan horse that steals information, including keystrokes, from the infected Windows PC and transmits that data to a server hosted in Russia, according to McAfee's threat researcher Craig Schmugar. McAfee has pegged the malware as "Spy-Agent.bw," but other security firms have given it different names. Symantec, for example, has labeled the same Trojan as "Infostealer.Monstres."
Infostealer.Monstres first made a name for itself almost a year ago, when it was used to rip off more than 1.6 million customer records from Monster Worldwide, the company that operates the popular Monster.com recruiting Web site.
"Customers should be aware that these e-mails are not coming from the airline," said Northwest Airlines' vice president of e-commerce, Al Lenza, in a statement last week. "NWA itineraries are specific and contain information that a customer will recognize. If the format does not look familiar to you, and you have not recently purchased a ticket, do not open the attachment. Delete the e-mail right away."
Other airlines that issued warnings include Delta Airlines of Atlanta, Sun Country Airlines of Mendota Heights, Minn., and Midwest Airlines of Milwaukee. "Be assured that Sun Country did not send this email, and charged nothing to your credit card," an alert posted to the Sun Country site read. "We have reported these emails to Yahoo, Hotmail, and the United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team."
Earlier last week, McAfee raised the alarm about a similar spam run of e-mails harboring the same Trojan. That campaign, however, sent messages posing as invoices from package delivery company United Parcel Service of America (UPS).
Source: http://www.infoworld.com/article/08/07/29/Airlines_warn_customers_of_infected_ticket_invoices-Computerworld_1.html?source=NLC-TB&cgd=2008-07-29
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Friday, July 25, 2008
Jalapenos The Latest Culprit In Salmonella Search
Talk of the Nation, July 22, 2008
On Monday government inspectors had a big break in their search for the elusive cause of a nationwide salmonella outbreak. They discovered a strain of bacteria on a single Mexican-grown jalapeno pepper in a distribution facility in south Texas.
David Acheson, associate commissioner for foods for the Food and Drug Administration, describes what goes into a food safety investigation, and why this recent outbreak of salmonella has been so difficult to figure out.
Your Health
How Salmonella Investigation Shifted To Jalapeno
by Allison Aubrey
When officials at the Food and Drug Administration announced they had found salmonella on a Mexican-grown jalapeno pepper, it meant investigators finally had a solid lead on a trail that seemed to have grown cold.
State health officials in New Mexico first picked up on multiple people getting sick from the same subtype of salmonella — called salmonella Saintpaul — back in April. They reported the cases to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.
There, officials analyzing information coming in through an electronic surveillance system began to see that, in pockets around the country, many more states were seeing an unusual increase in cases of salmonella Saintpaul.
As soon as they knew they had an outbreak on their hands, investigators began interviewing sick people, asking them in detail what they had eaten before getting sick. In many cases, people reported eating tomatoes — and the sick people were eating them at much higher rates than their healthy neighbors, who officials also interviewed.
Now, three months later, with the first conclusive match of salmonella Saintpaul coming from a jalapeno pepper, not a tomato, the FDA's lead point person on the investigation, Dr. David Acheson, says it doesn't mean his agency got it wrong.
"The original part of the outbreak, the first scientific indications, showed a very clear association with tomatoes — and there is nothing to indicate that that association was incorrect or inappropriate," Acheson says.
Last week, when the FDA lifted its consumer warnings on eating tomatoes, Acheson explained that none of the farms harvesting tomatoes during the early part of the outbreak were still shipping their product and that all of the tomatoes in markets now had come from areas that were not implicated.
At this point in the investigation, Acheson explained that officials had learned more from a few clusters of people who had been exposed to salmonella at the same time and same place, presumably at a restaurant. They found that these people reported eating fresh jalapeno peppers.
When the FDA dispatched its team of investigators to various points along the distribution chain where the fresh peppers had passed, they knew they needed a direct match.
To make that definitive link, they had to find salmonella Saintpaul on a pepper, which is what happened Monday. Now that consumers have been warned to avoid eating fresh jalapenos, the job of the investigators continues.
One contaminated pepper doesn't solve the whole case. The goal is to continue following the production chain from the distribution center in Texas where the pepper was tested back to the farm in Mexico where it was grown.
"Because it enables us to ultimately, hopefully, pinpoint the source of the contamination which has caused the outbreak," Acheson says.
Since the outbreak began, a total of 1,251 people have gotten sick, and officials at the CDC say they do not believe the outbreak has ended.
Source: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92781517&ft=1&f=1007
On Monday government inspectors had a big break in their search for the elusive cause of a nationwide salmonella outbreak. They discovered a strain of bacteria on a single Mexican-grown jalapeno pepper in a distribution facility in south Texas.
David Acheson, associate commissioner for foods for the Food and Drug Administration, describes what goes into a food safety investigation, and why this recent outbreak of salmonella has been so difficult to figure out.
Your Health
How Salmonella Investigation Shifted To Jalapeno
by Allison Aubrey
When officials at the Food and Drug Administration announced they had found salmonella on a Mexican-grown jalapeno pepper, it meant investigators finally had a solid lead on a trail that seemed to have grown cold.
State health officials in New Mexico first picked up on multiple people getting sick from the same subtype of salmonella — called salmonella Saintpaul — back in April. They reported the cases to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.
There, officials analyzing information coming in through an electronic surveillance system began to see that, in pockets around the country, many more states were seeing an unusual increase in cases of salmonella Saintpaul.
As soon as they knew they had an outbreak on their hands, investigators began interviewing sick people, asking them in detail what they had eaten before getting sick. In many cases, people reported eating tomatoes — and the sick people were eating them at much higher rates than their healthy neighbors, who officials also interviewed.
Now, three months later, with the first conclusive match of salmonella Saintpaul coming from a jalapeno pepper, not a tomato, the FDA's lead point person on the investigation, Dr. David Acheson, says it doesn't mean his agency got it wrong.
"The original part of the outbreak, the first scientific indications, showed a very clear association with tomatoes — and there is nothing to indicate that that association was incorrect or inappropriate," Acheson says.
Last week, when the FDA lifted its consumer warnings on eating tomatoes, Acheson explained that none of the farms harvesting tomatoes during the early part of the outbreak were still shipping their product and that all of the tomatoes in markets now had come from areas that were not implicated.
At this point in the investigation, Acheson explained that officials had learned more from a few clusters of people who had been exposed to salmonella at the same time and same place, presumably at a restaurant. They found that these people reported eating fresh jalapeno peppers.
When the FDA dispatched its team of investigators to various points along the distribution chain where the fresh peppers had passed, they knew they needed a direct match.
To make that definitive link, they had to find salmonella Saintpaul on a pepper, which is what happened Monday. Now that consumers have been warned to avoid eating fresh jalapenos, the job of the investigators continues.
One contaminated pepper doesn't solve the whole case. The goal is to continue following the production chain from the distribution center in Texas where the pepper was tested back to the farm in Mexico where it was grown.
"Because it enables us to ultimately, hopefully, pinpoint the source of the contamination which has caused the outbreak," Acheson says.
Since the outbreak began, a total of 1,251 people have gotten sick, and officials at the CDC say they do not believe the outbreak has ended.
Source: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92781517&ft=1&f=1007
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
The Former 'Pregnant Man' Debuts His Baby
It's been three weeks since his blue-eyed baby debuted in this world, but Thomas Beatie – better known around the world as the Pregnant Man – can already say this about his daughter's personality: "She's easygoing and mellow and intelligent."
On June 29 at 8:55 p.m., Beatie, 34, a former female beauty pageant contestant, made cultural history as perhaps the first legally transgender male to give birth, bringing into the world a 9 lbs., 5 oz. baby girl named Susan Juliette.
"She's so precious, I just can't stop staring at her," Thomas tells PEOPLE in his first interview since he and wife Nancy returned with their bundle from Bend, Oregon's St. Charles Medical Center. "Just holding her is the best feeling in the world."
Susan – named after Thomas's mother and conceived through artificial insemination with donor sperm – arrived after 40 hours of labor, with Nancy at Thomas's side acting as his coach.
"When Susan finally came out, it was like in slow motion," says Thomas. "I was full of wonder." Echoes Nancy: "There were tears of joy."
Both father and daughter came through the birth in perfect health. "I weigh two pounds less than I did before I got pregnant," adds Thomas. "And I don't have a single stretch mark!"
At home, the couple is adjusting to their new nightly schedule: Nancy breastfeeding (by induced lactation, a process using hormones and physical stimulation with a breast pump) and Thomas keeping company while watching TV.
Crows Thomas, "Susan is a miracle! And we're finally the family we've been dreaming of."
Source: http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20214360,00.html
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Bush signs new rules on government wiretapping
WASHINGTON - President Bush signed a bill Thursday that overhauls rules about government eavesdropping and grants immunity to telecommunications companies that helped the U.S. spy on Americans in suspected terrorism cases.
He called it "landmark legislation that is vital to the security of our people."
Bush signed the measure in a Rose Garden ceremony a day after the Senate sent it to him, following nearly a year of debate in the Democratic-led Congress over surveillance rules and the warrantless wiretapping program Bush initiated after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. It was a battle that pitted privacy and civil liberties concerns against the desire to prevent terrorist attacks and Democrats' fears of being portrayed as weak when it comes to protecting the country.
Its passage was a major victory for Bush, an unpopular lame-duck president who nevertheless has been able to prevail over Congress on most issues of national security and intelligence disputes.
Bush said the 9/11 attack "changed our country forever" and taught the intelligence community that it must know who America's enemies are talking to and what they are saying.
"In the aftermath of 9/11," Bush said, "few would have imagined that we would be standing here seven years later without another attack on American soil. The fact that the terrorists have failed to strike our shores again does not mean that our enemies have given up."
Even before Bush signed the legislation, the American Civil Liberties Union said it would challenge the new law in court.
The president said the bill gives the government anti-terror tools it needs without compromising Americans' civil liberties.
Bush was joined at the ceremony by Vice President Dick Cheney, Attorney General Michael Mukasey, Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell and more than a dozen members of Congress.
The ACLU's lawsuit was filed on behalf of several civil rights groups. It wants a federal judge in New York to rule that the law is an unconstitutional violation of free speech and the right against unlawful search and seizure. It also asks that the judge permanently block intelligence officials from conducting surveillance under the law.
"The new law gives the government the power to conduct dragnet surveillance that has no connection to terrorism or criminal activity of any kind," said Jameel Jaffer, director of the ACLU's National Security Project, in a conference call to reporters.
"A law like this is fundamentally inconsistent with the Constitution and with the most basic democratic values," he said.
Roger Atwood, communications director for the Washington Office on Latin America, a human rights organization for the region, said the new law will impede the group's work.
"The mere suspicion that information provided to us, to our staff, will be accessed by the U.S. government can seriously affect WOLA's credibility and our effectiveness in Latin America in moving our work forward," Atwood said in the conference call.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080710/ap_on_go_pr_wh/terrorist_surveillance
He called it "landmark legislation that is vital to the security of our people."
Bush signed the measure in a Rose Garden ceremony a day after the Senate sent it to him, following nearly a year of debate in the Democratic-led Congress over surveillance rules and the warrantless wiretapping program Bush initiated after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. It was a battle that pitted privacy and civil liberties concerns against the desire to prevent terrorist attacks and Democrats' fears of being portrayed as weak when it comes to protecting the country.
Its passage was a major victory for Bush, an unpopular lame-duck president who nevertheless has been able to prevail over Congress on most issues of national security and intelligence disputes.
Bush said the 9/11 attack "changed our country forever" and taught the intelligence community that it must know who America's enemies are talking to and what they are saying.
"In the aftermath of 9/11," Bush said, "few would have imagined that we would be standing here seven years later without another attack on American soil. The fact that the terrorists have failed to strike our shores again does not mean that our enemies have given up."
Even before Bush signed the legislation, the American Civil Liberties Union said it would challenge the new law in court.
The president said the bill gives the government anti-terror tools it needs without compromising Americans' civil liberties.
Bush was joined at the ceremony by Vice President Dick Cheney, Attorney General Michael Mukasey, Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell and more than a dozen members of Congress.
The ACLU's lawsuit was filed on behalf of several civil rights groups. It wants a federal judge in New York to rule that the law is an unconstitutional violation of free speech and the right against unlawful search and seizure. It also asks that the judge permanently block intelligence officials from conducting surveillance under the law.
"The new law gives the government the power to conduct dragnet surveillance that has no connection to terrorism or criminal activity of any kind," said Jameel Jaffer, director of the ACLU's National Security Project, in a conference call to reporters.
"A law like this is fundamentally inconsistent with the Constitution and with the most basic democratic values," he said.
Roger Atwood, communications director for the Washington Office on Latin America, a human rights organization for the region, said the new law will impede the group's work.
"The mere suspicion that information provided to us, to our staff, will be accessed by the U.S. government can seriously affect WOLA's credibility and our effectiveness in Latin America in moving our work forward," Atwood said in the conference call.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080710/ap_on_go_pr_wh/terrorist_surveillance
Monday, July 7, 2008
5 reasons to hold off on the iPhone 3G
Yes, I'm one of those guys who wait in line the day a shiny new gadget goes on sale, and the iPhone 3G is one of the shiniest gadgets of all. But while I'll be out there waiting in the wee hours of July 11 (it's my job, after all), the rest of you should think twice before losing sleep on launch day. Here's why.
1. Shortages are unlikely
Remember last year, when we all got in line early for the iPhone because we were afraid it would sell out? Well, that didn't quite happen. Yes, individual AT&T stores sold out quickly, but many Apple stores had plenty of iPhones in stock in the days and weeks after the big day. (Indeed, there weren’t any serious iPhone 1.0 shortages until just recently.) Also, word of hundreds of massive overseas shipments bound for Apple (which began arriving as early as March) leads me to believe that there's a healthy supply of iPhone 3Gs on hand. So if you're worrying about a Wii-like shortage of the iPhone 3G, well ... I wouldn't.
2. Chaos on Day One
Unlike last year, customers won't be able to activate their new iPhones over iTunes—instead, clerks will have to activate them in the store, contracts will have to be signed on the spot, and new AT&T subscribers will have to undergo credit checks. It could take a good 10-15 minutes per customer—and that's if things go smoothly. It'll be a new process for everyone—especially for Apple Store employees, who aren't accustomed to processing cell phone contracts—so I'm anticipating (dreading, actually) a train wreck next Friday. Even if you're dying to lay hands on the iPhone 3G, you might want to wait a week or so until they get the kinks worked out.
3. 32GB iPhone 3G on the horizon
I was keenly disappointed when Steve Jobs didn't unveil a 32GB iPhone last month—indeed, all we got were 8GB and 16GB versions, and I'd personally like an iPhone that I could cram with as much music and video as I can stand. Here's the thing, though—a 32GB iPhone 3G is probably coming within the next six months, if not sooner (well, that's my guess). If I wasn't buying the 16GB iPhone 3G for Yahoo! Tech, I'd probably sit tight and wait for the 32GB version to arrive.
4. Best new iPhone features are coming to the original iPhone
Yes, the iPhone 3G will be getting GPS and, of course, 3G—but for now, you can't download music tracks over AT&T's 3G network or access AT&T's streaming video service. For me, the most exciting thing about the new iPhone is the upcoming App Store, which will be stocked with scores of 3D games, chat clients, productivity apps, RSS readers, you name it—and the App Store will be available July 11 as a free upgrade to the old iPhone. That'll keep you busy till the 32GB iPhone comes out.
5. The HTC Touch Diamond
I've seen the future of cell phones, folks, and it's called the HTC Touch Diamond. With its gorgeous VGA screen, beautiful touch-screen interface, and compact, light-weight shell, the Diamond is the first phone to make me green-eyed with envy since … well, since the original iPhone. The Diamond is set to arrive in the U.S. in September, and spy shots of a Sprint-branded Touch Diamond are already circulating on the Web. You might want to give the Diamond a serious look before committing to a new two-year iPhone contract.
Source: http://tech.yahoo.com/blogs/patterson/24397
1. Shortages are unlikely
Remember last year, when we all got in line early for the iPhone because we were afraid it would sell out? Well, that didn't quite happen. Yes, individual AT&T stores sold out quickly, but many Apple stores had plenty of iPhones in stock in the days and weeks after the big day. (Indeed, there weren’t any serious iPhone 1.0 shortages until just recently.) Also, word of hundreds of massive overseas shipments bound for Apple (which began arriving as early as March) leads me to believe that there's a healthy supply of iPhone 3Gs on hand. So if you're worrying about a Wii-like shortage of the iPhone 3G, well ... I wouldn't.
2. Chaos on Day One
Unlike last year, customers won't be able to activate their new iPhones over iTunes—instead, clerks will have to activate them in the store, contracts will have to be signed on the spot, and new AT&T subscribers will have to undergo credit checks. It could take a good 10-15 minutes per customer—and that's if things go smoothly. It'll be a new process for everyone—especially for Apple Store employees, who aren't accustomed to processing cell phone contracts—so I'm anticipating (dreading, actually) a train wreck next Friday. Even if you're dying to lay hands on the iPhone 3G, you might want to wait a week or so until they get the kinks worked out.
3. 32GB iPhone 3G on the horizon
I was keenly disappointed when Steve Jobs didn't unveil a 32GB iPhone last month—indeed, all we got were 8GB and 16GB versions, and I'd personally like an iPhone that I could cram with as much music and video as I can stand. Here's the thing, though—a 32GB iPhone 3G is probably coming within the next six months, if not sooner (well, that's my guess). If I wasn't buying the 16GB iPhone 3G for Yahoo! Tech, I'd probably sit tight and wait for the 32GB version to arrive.
4. Best new iPhone features are coming to the original iPhone
Yes, the iPhone 3G will be getting GPS and, of course, 3G—but for now, you can't download music tracks over AT&T's 3G network or access AT&T's streaming video service. For me, the most exciting thing about the new iPhone is the upcoming App Store, which will be stocked with scores of 3D games, chat clients, productivity apps, RSS readers, you name it—and the App Store will be available July 11 as a free upgrade to the old iPhone. That'll keep you busy till the 32GB iPhone comes out.
5. The HTC Touch Diamond
I've seen the future of cell phones, folks, and it's called the HTC Touch Diamond. With its gorgeous VGA screen, beautiful touch-screen interface, and compact, light-weight shell, the Diamond is the first phone to make me green-eyed with envy since … well, since the original iPhone. The Diamond is set to arrive in the U.S. in September, and spy shots of a Sprint-branded Touch Diamond are already circulating on the Web. You might want to give the Diamond a serious look before committing to a new two-year iPhone contract.
Source: http://tech.yahoo.com/blogs/patterson/24397
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
iPhone 3G on sale 8 a.m. July 11; no-contract iPhone on tap
Looks like we'll have to get up bright and early to buy the new iPhone. Also, AT&T says a "no-commitment" iPhone is "coming soon."
First things first: The new iPhone 3G will go on sale at 8 a.m. next Friday at AT&T retail stores and Apple stores. So if you're planning on lining up, you'd better be ready well before sunrise.
Also, AT&T has finally clarified pricing for current AT&T subscribers who want the iPhone 3G.
In a nutshell, if you're "upgrade eligible" (log into your AT&T account to see if you are), you'll be able to buy the new iPhone for the discounted price of $199 for the 8GB version or $299 for the 16GB model. (AT&T is somewhat vague about the eligibility criteria, although your credit history and the time remaining on your contract are factors.) You'll also have to pay an $18 "upgrade fee."
If you're not eligible for the discount, you'll have to fork over extra for an "early upgrade"-$399 for the 8GB iPhone 3G or $499 for the 16GB model. Ouch.
AT&T also says that a "no-commitment" (read: no contract) iPhone 3G will be available soon, at $599 for the 8GB version and or $699 for the 16GB handset. Pricey, but hey-no two-year contract.
Unfortunately, AT&T won't offer the new iPhone on a prepaid basis, at least not at launch.
Some other items: You will have to get your new iPhone activated at the store, and that means a credit check. So bring a photo ID and your Social Security number (especially if you're not yet an AT&T customer). If you want to cut down on the wait, you can go to an AT&T store now and take care of the credit check early.
There have been some rumors that current iPhone users could simply register the IMEI number of their new iPhone with AT&T clerks-meaning they could finish activating their phones at home. It's a nice idea, but so far, there's no indication from AT&T that such a plan exists.
As for the newly detailed rate plans, there aren't any surprises. Each plan comes bundled with unlimited data; $70 a month gets you 450 minutes and 5,000 night/weekend minutes, while a 900-minute plan with unlimited nights/weekends goes for $90. A 1,350-minute plan will cost $110 per month. Family plans are available, and business data plans will cost $45 a month (versus $30 per month for standard data in the bundled plans). Text messages are extra, too. Individuals pay $5 for 200 texts per month, $15 for 1,500 a month, or $20 for unlimited texting. For family plans, you'll pay $30 a month for unlimited messaging.
AT&T also has a checklist of required documentation, fees, and rate plans. Download the PDF here.
Guess that $199 price Steve Jobs announced for the iPhone 3G should have come with a massive asterisk, huh?
Source: http://tech.yahoo.com/blogs/patterson/23890
First things first: The new iPhone 3G will go on sale at 8 a.m. next Friday at AT&T retail stores and Apple stores. So if you're planning on lining up, you'd better be ready well before sunrise.
Also, AT&T has finally clarified pricing for current AT&T subscribers who want the iPhone 3G.
In a nutshell, if you're "upgrade eligible" (log into your AT&T account to see if you are), you'll be able to buy the new iPhone for the discounted price of $199 for the 8GB version or $299 for the 16GB model. (AT&T is somewhat vague about the eligibility criteria, although your credit history and the time remaining on your contract are factors.) You'll also have to pay an $18 "upgrade fee."
If you're not eligible for the discount, you'll have to fork over extra for an "early upgrade"-$399 for the 8GB iPhone 3G or $499 for the 16GB model. Ouch.
AT&T also says that a "no-commitment" (read: no contract) iPhone 3G will be available soon, at $599 for the 8GB version and or $699 for the 16GB handset. Pricey, but hey-no two-year contract.
Unfortunately, AT&T won't offer the new iPhone on a prepaid basis, at least not at launch.
Some other items: You will have to get your new iPhone activated at the store, and that means a credit check. So bring a photo ID and your Social Security number (especially if you're not yet an AT&T customer). If you want to cut down on the wait, you can go to an AT&T store now and take care of the credit check early.
There have been some rumors that current iPhone users could simply register the IMEI number of their new iPhone with AT&T clerks-meaning they could finish activating their phones at home. It's a nice idea, but so far, there's no indication from AT&T that such a plan exists.
As for the newly detailed rate plans, there aren't any surprises. Each plan comes bundled with unlimited data; $70 a month gets you 450 minutes and 5,000 night/weekend minutes, while a 900-minute plan with unlimited nights/weekends goes for $90. A 1,350-minute plan will cost $110 per month. Family plans are available, and business data plans will cost $45 a month (versus $30 per month for standard data in the bundled plans). Text messages are extra, too. Individuals pay $5 for 200 texts per month, $15 for 1,500 a month, or $20 for unlimited texting. For family plans, you'll pay $30 a month for unlimited messaging.
AT&T also has a checklist of required documentation, fees, and rate plans. Download the PDF here.
Guess that $199 price Steve Jobs announced for the iPhone 3G should have come with a massive asterisk, huh?
Source: http://tech.yahoo.com/blogs/patterson/23890
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