Asus admits Eee Box mini PC shipped with virus

[Rik]

 

I thought it was the 6502, JB.

[Ted]

This slip from Asus is pretty lamentable but this one from another well know organisation is just shocking:  http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7583805.stm

"The worm was first detected on Earth in August 2007"

[Rik]

Shame it wasn't 2001 really, Ted.

[Simon]

It just shows the value of installing AV software on a new machine as the first step.

Or, perhaps, just format the thing and start again?  At least it would get rid of all the pre-installed crud that seems to come with new machines.

[Rik]

True, provided you get a true Windows disc, and not one of these recovery jobs.

[Simon]

I always keep one to hand. 

[Rik]

Sandra been at it again then? 

[Simon]

Last time I looked, they were reusable.    You would need the licence key, of course. 

[Rik]

The keys are tied to batches of discs, so they don't always work. Or so I am told.

[Simon]

Really?  I've never had a problem, and have used an SP2 disc with a pre-SP1 key.  Not tried an SP3 disc yet.

[Rik]

That's the received wisdom, but I've never needed to test it. Sandra would know for sure.

[Simon]

Indeed.

[somanyholes]

another example of the "supply chain attack"

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/lawandorder/3173346/Chip-and-pin-scam-has-netted-millions-from-British-shoppers.html

[Gary]

another example of the "supply chain attack"

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/lawandorder/3173346/Chip-and-pin-scam-has-netted-millions-from-British-shoppers.html

That would explain a lot, So 

[Inactive]

another example of the "supply chain attack"

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/lawandorder/3173346/Chip-and-pin-scam-has-netted-millions-from-British-shoppers.html

That really is alarming So.. very soon we will all be going back to cash and cheques if this continues.


So much for the security of " Chip & Pin ".

[Gary]

That really is alarming So.. very soon we will all be going back to cash and cheques if this continues.


So much for the security of " Chip & Pin ".

I think cash is safest really In, having chip and pin machines compromised would explain a few dodgy card hacks we had I was never sure chip & spin would really be that much better as  anyone can watch your pin being typed in if you are not careful, as well as machines it appears, giving a handful of notes seems safer these days

[Inactive]

as  anyone can watch your pin being typed in if you are not careful,

That is something that has always puzzled me Gary, was it not obvious to them that at least a visual guard was required to stop prying eyes watching pin input? ... It would have added about a £1 to the cost of each machine.

[Rik]

Less than that, In. No brainers obviously refer to the people in the industry in this case. 

[Gary]

That is something that has always puzzled me Gary, was it not obvious to them that at least a visual guard was required to stop prying eyes watching pin input? ... It would have added about a £1 to the cost of each machine.

It made security a farce In, and anyone dodgy in security watching the CCTV can have a prime view of what's being typed, as you say why did they make it so easy, most people do not know that some machines you can take out the slot and turn from the customers to hide what you type

[somanyholes]

That really is alarming So.. very soon we will all be going back to cash and cheques if this continues.


So much for the security of " Chip & Pin ". Roll Eyes

I wish cash would hang around but there's not much chance of that. 20 years at the complete most and it will be dead. Chip and pin could have been implemented in a better fashion. I personally would have preffered just entering a number of digits from your password/passphrase, Even better make it alpha-numeric, but i suppose that would make the more forgetfull ones have issues at the till, not that they don't now though.....

The goverment really want us to ditch paper money for many reasons, the prime ones being,
1. If everything's digital they will be able to track whatever you do/purchase.
2. The paper system at banks works differently than the electronic one, and they want it all under the same banner
3. Kill the underground money markets/reduce crime. If your phone is stolen how are they going to sell it in a paperless system without risk/trackability
4.Terrosim/say no more
5. It now costs more to make some coinage than it's value, i think the nickel is an example of this.

[Rik]

And, of course, it's safer not to carry cash. Being mugged electronically doesn't show in crime figures. 

[somanyholes]

on a slightly happier note, in someways anyway.

A new service has arrived that uses your mobile phone, (i know there are privacy issues here)

Basically if you make a purchase at a store, when it's being authorised it will check to see if your mobile phone is in the same location as the purchase that is being made. If it isn't then the transaction will be denied. I know this isn't without it's downsides but still not a bad idea.

I can't remember the dam name of it  , it's not available here yet from what I can remember....

[Rik]

Personally, I like the idea, So.

[Inactive]

Oh wonderful, no signal,.... no shopping.

Orange cut off your Sim Card....no shopping.

[Rik]

I guess it relies on you having a mobile. If you don't, or you get a flat battery, they would have to have a manual fallback, eg phoning the card company...