Carlos Computers - Cairns Computer Repairs, Sales and Service

Security experts this week unveiled a major security risk in Apple's iPhone at the Black Hat conference in Las Vegas. The Black Hat conference is one of the world's top security expo's where like minded security experts gather to exchange information on security threats and how to resolve them.

Apple was warned back in mid July that its popular mobile device had a major security flaw, with the two PhD students who discovered it staying quiet hoping that Apple would resolve the issue without malicious parties finding out.

The students said they gave Apple sufficient time to resolve the problem and instead Apple has done nothing to address the major security concern, so the couple announced the flaw at the conference in a bid to get Apple moving on a fix to the problem.

The pair also found similar problems with Google's Android mobile operating system, however Google immediately patched the problem after being told of the issue.

The hack works by the iPhone recipient receiving a corrupted text message which then changes the carrier settings on the phone allowing the person who sent the message full access to the iPhone. Recipients would not even be aware they'd received the message nor would they know someone had taken over their phone. The ramifications are that the hacker can then make calls and use your data allowance without your knowledge and potentially rack up a large bill.

What the security hole highlights is that every operating system platform is at risk of attack, including Apple. Apple users have laughed at Windows users for years over the malware attacks running rampant on Windows systems and now they have something to worry about as well.

After years of long running anti-trust battles with the European Union, Microsoft has dropped its internet browser, Internet Explorer from the next release of Windows. Windows 7 will be the first installment of the world's most widely used operating system to give users a choice of internet browser.

Internet Explorer is used for about 60 per cent of global internet traffic, Mozilla's Firefox about 30 per cent and Opera four per cent, just ahead of Google's Chrome and Apple’s Safari.

The European Commission has so far slapped fines totalling €1.68 billion ($2.9 billion) on the US software giant for infringing EU antitrust rules. Internet Explorer's major competitors, Firefox, Opera, Safari and Chrome welcomed the move heralding a new chapter in a move towards fairer competition in the internet browser stakes.

Microsoft now proposes to install a "ballot screen" that would allow users to set up rival browsers on Windows 7 and disable Internet Explorer if they wanted, a remedy the Commission had suggested in its January 2009 charge sheet.

Windows 7 officially goes on sale in October worldwide.

(Source: news.com.au)

An update to AVG and iTunes overnight has lead the popular free anti-virus software to believe iTunes is a virus. This is not the case, it is a false positive and there is nothing to be worried about.

There is currently no time frame to fix the issue with both Apple and AVG yet to comment on what may have caused this problem. The root of the issue more than likely lies with AVG; AVG has a history of not playing nicely with iTunes.

At this stage there is a workaround to get AVG and iTunes playing nicely again.

1. Open AVG
2. Select the Resident Shield
3. Click Manage Exceptions
4. Click Add Path and add the following locations:

C:\Program Files\iTunes\
C:\Program Files\iPod\
C:\Program Files\Apple Software Update

5. Click Apply and Save.

Anti-virus False positives occur when a pattern of code in the file matches the same pattern contained in a virus signature or definition. This can occur due to a faulty signature or it can occur after improper disinfection by the same or different anti-virus scanner.

False positives can be more than just annoying. Repeated warnings that are erroneous cause the same effect as the boy who cried wolf. If too many false positives occur, when a legitimate warning is presented, users may disregard it. In other cases, a false positive can cause legitimate files to be deleted, causing the operating system or program to no longer function properly. (Source: antivirus.about.com)

A recent article in the Cairns Post on Monday had Cairns residents and local MP Jim Turnour fuming over Telstra's decision to halt installation of copper cables into new housing developments. Not to mention the fact that many exchanges in Cairns are at capacity with no upgrades in sight to alleviate congestion or add new broadband ports.

Wally Donaldson, Telstra Countrywide Manager for FNQ claims that because the Government's National Broadband Network (NBN) would soon make copper obsolete, Telstra is refusing to lay any new copper into new housing developments in Cairns or upgrade existing infrastructure. He insists that developers should be working with communications providers to lay fibre optics instead, meaning that Telstra would have a monopoly hold over the communication infrastructure in new housing developments.

With the NBN at least 8 years off being completed and not even officially signed into legislation yet, Telstra is really clutching at straws to not provide services they are legally obligated to do so under the telecommunications USO and Trade Practices rulings.

The move by Telstra is forcing residents to use more expensive mobile NextG wireless services and miss out on a traditional landline telephone service. People with life threatening conditions are being put at real risk not having a landline service to call emergency services if needed.

Mr Donaldson claims that Telstra's NextG offerings are close to current traditional broadband offerings. What a load of rubbish. Average speeds (1.5 to 3 megabits/sec bursting to 21 megabits/sec) on NextG services come nowhere near the constant speeds I receive (currently 8 megabits/sec and up to 24 megabits/sec on ADSL2+) and nowhere near the quota offerings of a landline based service.

NextG services are also far more expensive than a landline service. i.e. NextG Fast 1GB is $59.95 per month. In comparision a 1500K service from Internode with 20GB of data is the same price and Optus's equivalently priced wireless plan offers 6 times the quota.

Jim Turnour has said "Part of the reason we need a national broadband network is because Telstra has failed to deliver the services the community has wanted for many years" and I wholeheartedly agree with him. For too long, regional and rural areas have missed out on the services given to our capital city counterparts.

Premier Anna Bligh said broadband access in Cairns was inadequate and was fully supportive of Mr Turnour’s bid for an early (NBN) roll out.

Telstra you should be ashamed.