A simple HTML tag will crash 64-bit Windows 7

A simple HTML tag will crash 64-bit Windows 7

An unpatched critical flaw in 64-bit Windows 7 leaves computers vulnerable to a full 'blue screen of death' system crash.

The memory corruption bug in x64 Win 7 could also allow malicious kernel-level code to be injected into machines, security alert biz Secunia warns. Fortunately the 32-bit version of Windows 7 is immune to the flaw, which has been pinned down to the win32k.sys operating system file - which contains the kernel portion of the Windows user interface and related infrastructure.
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Google moves to delete 'RuFraud' scam Android apps

Google moves to delete 'RuFraud' scam Android apps

Google has removed 22 applications from its Android Market after they were discovered to contain fraudulent software.

Apps posing as popular third-party software such as Angry Birds tricked users into sending premium text messages.

Unlike some other app services, Android Market apps are not vetted prior to being added to the store.

Google has said it swiftly removes apps that violate its security policies.

Lookout, a mobile security company based in San Francisco, believes the fraud attempt originated from Russia.

After notifying Google of the 22 affected apps, Lookout said it then identified five more apps running the so-called "RuFraud" scam.

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World of Warcraft suffers subscriber slump

World of Warcraft suffers subscriber slump

Almost a million people have stopped paying for World of Warcraft in the last three months.

The sharp drop in subscribers was revealed by Activision Blizzard during talks with analysts about its latest financial results.

At the end of September, WoW had about 10.3 million subscribers, down from 11.1 million at the end of June.

Experts put the decline down to competition from new titles but said WoW was still very resilient.

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YouTube's website redesign puts the focus on channels

YouTube's website redesign puts the focus on channels

YouTube has revamped its website putting channels at the core of the service.

A channel is a curated list of video clips chosen by a specific YouTube member or celebrity.

Channels are now displayed in a central column on the site's home page resembling news feeds on social networks such as Facebook or Google+.

Experts say the redesign may mean people spend longer on the site, but some users have attacked the change.

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Government backs call for classroom coding

Government backs call for classroom coding

The teaching of computer science must become more relevant to modern needs, said the government.

The government said the current teaching of IT was "insufficiently rigorous and in need of reform".

The call for change came in a response to an industry report which looked at technology teaching in the UK.

Without reform future UK workers would lack key skills and the nation would lose its standing as a video games and visual arts hub, said the report.

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Microsoft to offer dual upgrade path for Windows 8

Microsoft to offer dual upgrade path for Windows 8

Microsoft will change its upgrade procedures when it introduces Windows 8, offering a simple system for home users and a more technical option for IT staff.

Redmond said it wants to make the upgrade path easier, since the Windows 7 introduction saw some users complaining that the process was too complicated. To ease the introduction of Windows 8, Microsoft will now offer two options for those looking to make the leap to the new OS: a streamlined and an advanced setup. The new format will dramatically decrease upgrade times, Microsoft promised.

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Google denies Google+ death reports

Google denies Google+ death reports

Google+ was supposed to be a "Facebook killer". Some now say it's already dead - but the search giant says it is just getting started.

The 19th Century writer Mark Twain once famously told a newspaper journalist: "The report of my death was an exaggeration," following unfounded media speculation that the author had suffered a fatal illness.

Similarly, search giant Google, which unveiled its much-anticipated online social network Google+ at a private launch in June, is battling recent reports from pundits who claim the network is "dead".

Early reports wagered that the service would one day rival social network Facebook in popularity. But a mere four months later, grim headlines have begun popping up on the homepages of US media outlets.

Forbes published...

Sony clamps down on PlayStation game sharing

Sony clamps down on PlayStation game sharing

UK gamers can no longer play the same copy of a new PlayStation Store game on more than two devices.

On 18 November Sony cut the number of consoles and handheld devices that users can tie to their PlayStation Network (PSN) account from five to two.

The change only applies to games and other content bought via the PlayStation Store after 18 November.

The limits are believed to have been imposed to stop people sharing games with friends.

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Will IT certs get you jobs and raises? Survey says yes

Will IT certs get you jobs and raises? Survey says yes

60% of IT professionals surveyed say a certification led to a new job, and half say it gave a salary boost. But some certs are more valuable than others.

Debate rages among IT professionals over the value of certifications, but a survey of 700 network professionals jointly conducted by Network World and SolarWinds may help put that argument to rest. Among those who earned certifications, most saw a significant boost in their careers as a result.

Thanks to invierno for the find

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Valve's online game service Steam hit by hackers

Valve's online game service Steam hit by hackers

The Steam video game service, used by 35 million people, has been compromised by hackers.

Its owner and operator, Valve, uncovered an intrusion into a user database while investigating a security breach of its discussion forums.

The attackers used login details from the forum hack to access a database that held ID and credit card data.

Valve said that, so far, it had no evidence that credit cards were being misused or Steam accounts abused.

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