| Sony USB device harbouring "nasty" rootkit
Sony says the rootkit-like behaviour of a device driver used to run its biometric Micro Vault USM-F thumb drive was unintentional. A Sony Sweden spokesman told local press that sometimes even actions undertaken with "good will" can go wrong. His comments came the same day that antivirus company McAfee joined a growing chorus of companies criticising Sony for compromising its customers' security. The Micro Vault drive is a USB device featuring fingerprint-reading software intended to add an extra layer of security for PC users. The software needed to be installed on the PC for the USB to work contains the rootkit technology. The criticism is reminiscent of that directed at Sony BMG Music Entertainment in November 2005, when a programmer revealed that a technique designed to cloak the company's copy-protection software for music CDs also could be used by virus writers to hide malicious software.
Netintelligence and XMA Sign Deal to Protect Government-issued ...
Laptops given to school children under the Governments Computers for Pupils scheme will include advanced software to protect them online following a deal between Netintelligence and IT supplier XMA Ltd.
Ni Enterprise Manager, a software as a service developed by internet security firm Netintelligence, provides anti-virus, anti-spyware, web filtering and instant messaging monitoring features and will be installed on computers distributed by XMA under the scheme when requested by local authorities. The service, which was recently awarded the CSIA Claims Tested (CCT) mark, uses the internet to centrally monitor policy compliance and deliver protection across de-perimeterised boundaries and networks.
The software ensures children can surf the web safely while completing schoolwork, protected from viruses, inappropriate content and online predators.
Turbolinux signs massive banking deal
The Industrial Commercial Bank of China has signed a deal with Turbolinux to run its open source software in all of the bank's operations. The bank will integrate Turbolinux's operating systems and software across its network during the next three years, the software maker said on Thursday. Under terms of the deal, the bank will purchase an unrestricted user license for all its operations, branches and subsidiaries, it said. In addition, Turbolinux will support upgrades, virus protection and maintenance. The bank has 20,000 agency branches in China and 1,000 subsidiaries globally. Financial details were not released. Linux deployment is growing in China, with software makers targeting segments such as banking, insurance and wireless applications.
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