Mrs. Mecomber's Scrapbook

Talking technology, computers, and the Internet… for the average computer user

Archive for December, 2007

Is There Such a Thing As Search Engine Privacy?

Dec 27

Posted by Mrs. Mecomber in Google, search engines, security news, tips | Comments off

I was aghast to discover a few months ago the policies of search engine companies. The SEOs hold on to your searches information for inordinate periods of time. I’d read recently about a new policy by Ask.com. They are hoping their new policy will give them the edge over the giants (and you know who they are).

Jumping on the privacy bandwagon, Ask is offering users the chance to take charge of what happens with their search history.

An AskEraser link will feature prominently on the Ask.com homepage and, when enabled by the user, will delete all future search queries and associated cookie information from its servers.

The information it destroys includes IP address, user ID and session ID along with the complete text of a query.

I could wish all SEOs did such. MSN and Yahoo save the information for 18+ months, although policies bounce up and down more than stock market numbers. And when the Bush Administration demands the numbers from AOL, MSN, and Yahoo, they obediently hand it over. AOL might even broadcast that information– oopsie!

Google holds on to the info forever. Well, they say they’ve changed that to be 18 months, but who believes them?

Here’s a great comparison chart by CNet, showing the policies of the SEOs.

Moral of the story: your searches are monitored, and may be used against you. Be clean with your searches and use a variety of search engines frequently.

Eventually all the information will be condensed anyway, but at least we’re stemming the tide.

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You Will Do As You Are Told

Dec 26

Posted by Mrs. Mecomber in security news, technology | Comments off

The title is from an old Frank Zappa song, “I’m the Slime.”

You will obey me while I lead you
And eat the garbage that I feed you
Until the day that we don’t need you
Don’t go for help…no one will heed you
Your mind is totally controlled
It has been stuffed into my mold
And you will do as you are told
Until the rights to you are sold

There’s a newsstory at the Washington Post today. This is just over the top: FBI Prepares Vast Database of BioMetrics.

Digital images of faces, fingerprints and palm patterns are already flowing into FBI systems in a climate-controlled, secure basement here. Next month, the FBI intends to award a 10-year contract that would significantly expand the amount and kinds of biometric information it receives. And in the coming years, law enforcement authorities around the world will be able to rely on iris patterns, face-shape data, scars and perhaps even the unique ways people walk and talk, to solve crimes and identify criminals and terrorists. The FBI will also retain, upon request by employers, the fingerprints of employees who have undergone criminal background checks so the employers can be notified if employees have brushes with the law.

“It’s going to be an essential component of tracking,” said Barry Steinhardt, director of the Technology and Liberty Project of the American Civil Liberties Union. “It’s enabling the Always On Surveillance Society.”

If successful, the system planned by the FBI, called Next Generation Identification, will collect a wide variety of biometric information in one place for identification and forensic purposes.

What on earth ever happened to the Fourth Amendment in this country– the right to be secure in our persons and possessions?!

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Notebook/Laptop Reviews

Dec 24

Posted by Mrs. Mecomber in computers, technology | Comments off

My aging little HP laptop is starting to show its age. Recently the fan rumbled and made a clinking sound. The fan runs noisily with a tinny sound that can be heard across the room. My hard drive squeaks from time to time, although this has been going on for some time now. And the monitor goes black from time to time (I think it may be a short-circuit with the connection to the computer itself). Obviously, I have to backup my stuff every night, for fear it will bite the dust before the next morning.

It’s been a pretty reliable little laptop for the 5 or 6 years I’ve had it. I use it like my right arm. It’s on all day, and I use it for graphics design, web design, and writing, as well as playing videos. The battery life is shot (lasts me 20 minutes), and the power cord is twisted and mangled. A few dead pixels blot my screen. But it keeps on ticking.

However, I have been saving my pennies and dimes to get a new one. I do not want this one to die before I have another on hand. I work from my computer, and therefore I must have one available at all times. So, I’ve been scoping out different models for the past year or so.

In my searching, I found an excellent notebook review website, called appropriately, Notebook and Laptop Review.com. I’m impressed with the thoroughness of the reviewers. Lots of high-graphic photos, too. If you’re hunting for a notebook, I recommend the site.

Nowadays, all computers come with Vista installed. I’m not too keen on Vista, as I’ve heard so few programs are compatible with it. I can’t believe it’s marketed so widely when software compatibility is such an issue! I’ve considered wiping out Vista and installing Windows XP, but I’ve also heard of massive headaches with this move (I’d have to go and find and install proper XP drivers, etc). I’ve even considered a dual-boot of Vista and XP. I did a dual-boot with Xandros on this XP laptop, and it went well until I had to reformat XP. (As a sidenote, I’ve got a CD of Ubuntu that I am eager to try sometime.)

At any rate, I’m definitely getting away from HP this time. The HP bricking threat I’d read about is enough to make this loyal HP user look around. Almost all my computers and printers have been HP computers! But besides the bricking problem, I’m more willing to stretch my wings and try some other models. Toshiba Satellite looks good. The only problem I’ve heard with it is that they come loaded with bloatware. But bloatware I can handle. The real issue for me is the processor and the speed. I do a lot of heavy graphic design, which kicks on my HP fan so much that it sounds like it will take off in flight.

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Free WiFi Hotspots

Dec 23

Posted by Mrs. Mecomber in free stuff, tips, wifi | Comments off

I have discovered the great benefit of WiFi (wireless fidelity) these days. My daughter is spending more time at the Hamilton College library, and we often go to our local library for research. I am able to bring my laptop and continue to work while they do their research. I love free WiFi!

Places where you can connect online for free via wireless are called “hotspots.” I’ve discovered that most libraries are “hotspots.” I’ve also learned that most McDonald’s restaurants offer free WiFi, too. I am no frequenter of McDonald’s, but I would be hesitant to connect there because I am overly cautious about the clientele. As always, you should take security measures when connecting to a WiFi hotspot (have a firewall running, etc).

I found a few websites that will find WiFi hotspots for you. I checked out my local area and a few others, and did not see any libraries listed. I would prefer to connect at my local library than, say, a hotel, but it is always nice to know one’s options. And I think a library is more secure and accountable than an Internet cafe.

The first link is a website that will search your area for local libraries–a great resource when traveling!

RoadLibrary
Mobile Broadband
Wi-Fi Hotspot List
WiFiFreeHotspots
EZGoal WiFi Hotspots

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HP/Compaq Laptops Face Bricking Threat

Dec 21

Posted by Mrs. Mecomber in browsers, security news | Comments off

It’s a big blow to Hewlett-Packard/Compaq: A hacker named “porkythepig” published an online report of a bug and consequent hacks that can affect nearly every HP/Compaq laptop.

According to porkythepig’s post, the Software Update bugs let an attacker corrupt Windows’ kernel files, making the laptop unbootable, or with a little more effort, allow hacks that would result in a PC hijack or malware infection. In either case, a drive-by attack could be conducted by feeding users an e-mail message with a link to a malicious Web site.

“Every HP notebook machine containing the HP Software Updates application is vulnerable,” claimed porkythepig. “It is possible that the vulnerable machine model list disclosed by the vendor as a confirmation to the previous issue concerning HP laptops, [the] HP Info Center case, will be similar in this case.”

Here’s the painful part:

The researcher said he had tested the exploit code on Windows 2000, XP, Server 2003 and Vista, and that the vulnerabilities pose a risk to any user with either Internet Explorer 6 (IE6) or IE7 on the PC. Nor will HP be able to use the down-and-dirty fix it deployed last week, said porkythepig. After he revealed several bugs in HP’s Info Center a week ago, HP issued an update that simply disabled the vulnerable software.

“Simple disabling of the vulnerable control by the vendor’s patch, like in the other HP software vulnerability case, HP Info, [could still] result in the machine['s] software update system [being] compromised, and would leave the user vulnerable to future security issues,” porkythepig said in the milw0rm.com write-up.

HP did not reply to e-mailed requests for confirmation and comment.

I keyed in on that it’s Internet Explorer that is the hub of the risk. Yeah, that Internet Explorer crapware– the browser that protects the right to show ads!

The worst thing HP can do is say nothing. Say something, even if it’s an “oops” or “we’ll look into this right away.”

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