Online gamers rehearse real-world epidemics
21 August 2007 1028 hrs (SST) 0228 hrs (GMT)
PARIS: A fantasy plague that accidentally ran amok in the Internet's most popular game world, populated by nine million flesh-and-blood players, may help scientists predict the impact of genuine epidemics, according to a study released Tuesday.
Virtual playgrounds such as World of Warcraft, launched in 2004, could soon become testing grounds for the all-too-real battle against bird flu, malaria or some as yet unknown killer virus, one of the authors, Nina Fefferman of Rutgers University in New Jersey, told AFP.
Discussions are underway, she confirmed, with the game's California-based manufacturer, Blizzard, a unit of French media giant Vivendi, on how future updates might yield useful scientific data.
"As technology and biology become more heavily integrated in daily life, this small step towards the interaction of virtual viruses and humans could become highly significant," she said.
The unlikely path to a collaboration between hard science and hard-core gaming began in late 2005, when Blizzard programmers introduced a highly contagious disease -- dubbed "Corrupted Blood" -- into a newly created zone of the game's Byzantine environment.
World of Warcraft is a "multiplayer online role-playing game" in which players -- numbering in the tens, or hundreds of thousands -- use computer-controlled avatars to fight battles, form alliances, and dialogue simultaneously on the Internet.
At first the "patch", as new elements such as the disease are called, worked as expected: experienced players shrugged it off like a bad cold, and weaker ones were left with disabled avatars.
But then things spun out of control. As in reality, some of those carrying the virus slipped back into the virtual world's densely populated cities, rapidly infecting their defenceless inhabitants.
The disease also spread -- much like real influenza or the plague -- via domesticated animals abandoned by players for fear of infecting their avatars, leaving the sickened pets to roam freely.
Programmers tried to set up quarantines, but they were ignored. Finally, they resorted to an option not available in the real world: they shut down the servers and rebooted the system.
"This was the first time that a virtual virus has infected a virtual human being in a manner resembling an actual epidemiological event," said Fefferman, whose co-author, epidemiologist Eric Lofgren from Tufts University in Boston, was playing the game when the plague struck.
The authors had already discussed the possibility of using online gaming to study the spread of disease, and thus immediately recognized the opportunity.
To date, epidemiologists have relied heavily on mathematical simulations to forecast the spread of contagious diseases across large populations.
But crunching numbers has limitations, says Fefferman. "There is no way to model how people will behave" in a pubic crisis, she said.
"How many will run away from a quarantine? Will they become more or less cooperative if they are scared? We simply don't know."
Which is where the virtual netherworlds come into the picture. They can help scientists to "feed appropriate parameters into existing epidemiological models," she said.
Some sceptics have suggested that gamers are more willing to take risks online than in the flesh, and Fefferman acknowledges there is a difference.
But most players have invested a lot of time and energy into strengthening their avatars and forming alliances. For many, psychologists say, their virtual creations have become alter egos.
"We don't mean to suggest that people's reactions in this game would exactly mirror their reactions in real life," she said.
"But I think it is the closest thing we have to something that people really do become emotionally invested in protecting."
The researchers are working on a proposal for a new patch that would be a "compromise between what gamers would most enjoy and what would be most scientifically useful," she said. - AFP/fa
SOURCE FROM CHENNALNEWSASIA
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Saturday, August 18, 2007
Researchers create lightweight paper battery
Researchers create lightweight paper battery
Posted: 14 August 2007 0947 hrs
Photos 1 of 1
CHICAGO : US researchers said Monday they have invented a lightweight paper battery that could serve as an enhanced power storage device for the next generation of consumer electronic devices.
The battery produces electricity in the same way as the conventional lithium-ion batteries that power so many of today's gadgets, but all the components have been incorporated into a lightweight, flexible sheet of paper.
An early prototype of the device, just big enough to be held between thumb and forefinger, kicks out 2.5 volts, enough juice to power a small fan, or illuminate a light, and its inventors say the battery can be easily scaled up to provide enough power to run any number of electronic gadgets.
"You can stack one sheet on top of another to boost the power output," said Robert Linhardt, a biology and chemistry professor at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York, and a project team member.
"We've already experimented with 10 sheets, but there's nothing to stop you using 500, and they can be rolled, bent or folded into any shape or space you like. There are endless design possibilities."
As manufacturers strive to pack more functionality into smaller and smaller devices, the pressure is on to shrink components as much as possible, but in many cases the battery is still the bulkiest part of any electronic device.
The Rensselaer scientists substituted tiny carbon filaments or nanotubes for the electrodes used in a conventional battery and used an ionic liquid solution as an electrolyte - the two components that conduct electricity.
They used the cellulose or paper as a separator - the third essential component of a battery.
"It's a single, integrated device," said Linhardt. "The components are molecularly attached to each other: the carbon nanotube print is embedded in the paper and the electrolyte is soaked into the paper. The end result is a device that looks, feels, and weighs the same as paper."
The device can function in temperatures of 300 degrees Fahrenheit and down to 100 below zero, and was engineered to function as both a battery and a supercapacitor, a device that charges almost instantaneously and is often used for industrial applications.
Beyond laptop computers, cellphones or digital cameras, the paper batteries would be ideal for use in automobiles, aircraft and even boats because of their light weight, the researchers said.
The device is 90 percent cellulose.
"The paper could also be molded into different shapes, such as a car door, which would enable important new engineering innovations.
The materials used in the prototype are inexpensive but the team is still working on ways to mass produce the paper battery cheaply.
They hope that eventually they can print the paper using a roll-to-roll system similar to how newspapers are printed.
The researchers reported the details of their invention in a paper that appears in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. - AFP/ch
Source From CNA
Posted: 14 August 2007 0947 hrs
Photos 1 of 1
CHICAGO : US researchers said Monday they have invented a lightweight paper battery that could serve as an enhanced power storage device for the next generation of consumer electronic devices.
The battery produces electricity in the same way as the conventional lithium-ion batteries that power so many of today's gadgets, but all the components have been incorporated into a lightweight, flexible sheet of paper.
An early prototype of the device, just big enough to be held between thumb and forefinger, kicks out 2.5 volts, enough juice to power a small fan, or illuminate a light, and its inventors say the battery can be easily scaled up to provide enough power to run any number of electronic gadgets.
"You can stack one sheet on top of another to boost the power output," said Robert Linhardt, a biology and chemistry professor at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York, and a project team member.
"We've already experimented with 10 sheets, but there's nothing to stop you using 500, and they can be rolled, bent or folded into any shape or space you like. There are endless design possibilities."
As manufacturers strive to pack more functionality into smaller and smaller devices, the pressure is on to shrink components as much as possible, but in many cases the battery is still the bulkiest part of any electronic device.
The Rensselaer scientists substituted tiny carbon filaments or nanotubes for the electrodes used in a conventional battery and used an ionic liquid solution as an electrolyte - the two components that conduct electricity.
They used the cellulose or paper as a separator - the third essential component of a battery.
"It's a single, integrated device," said Linhardt. "The components are molecularly attached to each other: the carbon nanotube print is embedded in the paper and the electrolyte is soaked into the paper. The end result is a device that looks, feels, and weighs the same as paper."
The device can function in temperatures of 300 degrees Fahrenheit and down to 100 below zero, and was engineered to function as both a battery and a supercapacitor, a device that charges almost instantaneously and is often used for industrial applications.
Beyond laptop computers, cellphones or digital cameras, the paper batteries would be ideal for use in automobiles, aircraft and even boats because of their light weight, the researchers said.
The device is 90 percent cellulose.
"The paper could also be molded into different shapes, such as a car door, which would enable important new engineering innovations.
The materials used in the prototype are inexpensive but the team is still working on ways to mass produce the paper battery cheaply.
They hope that eventually they can print the paper using a roll-to-roll system similar to how newspapers are printed.
The researchers reported the details of their invention in a paper that appears in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. - AFP/ch
Source From CNA
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Russian download site shut down
Tuesday, 3 July 2007, 11:56 GMT 12:56 UK
Russian download site shut down
The controversial Russian music download site allofmp3.com has closed.
The service, which sold songs at a fraction of the cost of other sites, claimed to be the second biggest seller of music downloads after iTunes.
It was the subject of countless lawsuits from UK and US record labels that claimed it violated copyright law.
The site's owners, MediaServices, maintained the site was legal under Russian law and has subsequently set up a new service called mp3Sparks.com.
The closure of the original site has been welcomed by the record industry.
"Allofmp3.com violated copyright law in Russia and internationally by ripping off artists and creators, taking music that it had no right to reproduce and selling it worldwide," said John Kennedy, president of the International Federation of the Phonographic Industries (IFPI).
"If this is the end of allofmp3.com, this is good news."
Legal position
The Russian government has come under fierce criticism over its apparent lack of action against allofmp3.com
During talks on Russian membership of the World Trade Organisation in 2006, Susan Schwab, the US Trade Representative, said that the site must be closed before entry.
"The fact that closing down allofmp3.com simply resulted in the opening of a copy cat site by the same company shows that this requires some more fundamental action by the Russian authorities"
Mark Mulligan, JupiterResearch
Numerous lawsuits were also started against the site's owners MediaServices.
In 2006, a lawsuit was filed on behalf of Arista Records, Warner Bros, Capitol and UMG recordings.
The record labels said the company was selling songs without permission.
Allofmp3.com maintained it paid royalties to a Russian licensing body and said that it made clear on its website that users should check copyright laws in their own country before using the site.
Similar suits had also been filed by the British Phonographic Industry, on behalf of UK record labels.
Under increased pressure, Moscow finally signed an agreement in October last year to shut down the site.
It is not clear whether its closure is the result of action by Russian authorities.
Copy cats
Users of the site have been unable to log on for the last week, although the Russian version, allofmp3.ru, loads but "is undergoing maintenance".
MediaServices has also launched a new website that seems to offer a very similar service.
Like allofmp3.com, mp3sparks.com warns customers to obey their own government's laws on downloading. It also claims that it is authorised to distribute music and pays license fees.
Mark Mulligan, an analyst at JupiterResearch, wrote on his blog: "The fact that closing down allofmp3.com simply resulted in the opening of a copy cat site by the same company shows that this requires some more fundamental action by the Russian authorities.
"However, it could also be interpreted as cosmetic action by a government that is intent on satisfying WTO accession requirements but less keen on changing Russian new media copyright practices."
Source From BBC
Russian download site shut down
The controversial Russian music download site allofmp3.com has closed.
The service, which sold songs at a fraction of the cost of other sites, claimed to be the second biggest seller of music downloads after iTunes.
It was the subject of countless lawsuits from UK and US record labels that claimed it violated copyright law.
The site's owners, MediaServices, maintained the site was legal under Russian law and has subsequently set up a new service called mp3Sparks.com.
The closure of the original site has been welcomed by the record industry.
"Allofmp3.com violated copyright law in Russia and internationally by ripping off artists and creators, taking music that it had no right to reproduce and selling it worldwide," said John Kennedy, president of the International Federation of the Phonographic Industries (IFPI).
"If this is the end of allofmp3.com, this is good news."
Legal position
The Russian government has come under fierce criticism over its apparent lack of action against allofmp3.com
During talks on Russian membership of the World Trade Organisation in 2006, Susan Schwab, the US Trade Representative, said that the site must be closed before entry.
"The fact that closing down allofmp3.com simply resulted in the opening of a copy cat site by the same company shows that this requires some more fundamental action by the Russian authorities"
Mark Mulligan, JupiterResearch
Numerous lawsuits were also started against the site's owners MediaServices.
In 2006, a lawsuit was filed on behalf of Arista Records, Warner Bros, Capitol and UMG recordings.
The record labels said the company was selling songs without permission.
Allofmp3.com maintained it paid royalties to a Russian licensing body and said that it made clear on its website that users should check copyright laws in their own country before using the site.
Similar suits had also been filed by the British Phonographic Industry, on behalf of UK record labels.
Under increased pressure, Moscow finally signed an agreement in October last year to shut down the site.
It is not clear whether its closure is the result of action by Russian authorities.
Copy cats
Users of the site have been unable to log on for the last week, although the Russian version, allofmp3.ru, loads but "is undergoing maintenance".
MediaServices has also launched a new website that seems to offer a very similar service.
Like allofmp3.com, mp3sparks.com warns customers to obey their own government's laws on downloading. It also claims that it is authorised to distribute music and pays license fees.
Mark Mulligan, an analyst at JupiterResearch, wrote on his blog: "The fact that closing down allofmp3.com simply resulted in the opening of a copy cat site by the same company shows that this requires some more fundamental action by the Russian authorities.
"However, it could also be interpreted as cosmetic action by a government that is intent on satisfying WTO accession requirements but less keen on changing Russian new media copyright practices."
Source From BBC
Budget airline boss opens door for Asian no-frills hotels
Budget airline boss opens door for Asian no-frills hotels
08 July 2007 1319 hrs (SST) 0519 hrs (GMT)
SINGAPORE : Having conquered Southeast Asian skies with his pioneering budget airline, Malaysian entrepreneur Tony Fernandes hopes to repeat the success of his business model with a down-to-earth chain of no-frills hotels.
Despite a chorus of sceptics, Fernandes almost single-handedly brought low-cost flying to the region with AirAsia.
Now he believes his Tune Hotels.Com project can do the same for budget accommodation in a region where cheap has usually equated with shabby and badly managed.
Co-founded by Fernandes, Tune Hotels.Com first opened in downtown Kuala Lumpur in April and has been enjoying an occupancy rate of more than 90 percent from day one, the company says.
Industry watchers say initial demand for the Kuala Lumpur outlet shows Southeast Asia is starved of quality in the sector.
"There are a lot of travellers who are looking for that kind of service," said Ali Mirza, executive director with market research consultancy MarketShare in Singapore.
"So there is a new need in the marketplace for budget hotels," he said, adding "chances are very high" of success.
Analysts believe demand for budget hotels will take off rapidly following the blossoming of the region's low-cost airline sector, led by AirAsia.
Fernandes launched AirAsia in December 2001 with just two aircraft. It now serves domestic and international routes throughout the region, and spawned a number of imitators.
Dennis Melka, director and co-founder of Tune Hotels.Com, said passengers flying the low-cost carriers cannot afford four- and five-star accommodation.
Nightly room rates at Tune Hotels.Com's Kuala Lumpur property start from 2.85 dollars, excluding taxes.
The hotel offers a bed and a hot shower but extras such as soap, towels and air conditioning cost more, much as snacks are served for a fee on AirAsia flights.
Along with the bare-bones service, both the airline and hotel offer an Internet-based reservation system which prices tickets or rooms cheaply if bookings are made in advance.
They also share similar logos. Both are done up in AirAsia's signature colours, with even the exterior of the seven-storey Kuala Lumpur hotel painted in bold red and white.
John Koldowski, director of strategic intelligence with the Pacific Asia Travel Association, believes branded budget hotel lodging will take off in the region.
"It's only a matter of time," said Koldowski, who is based in Bangkok.
"We were surprised with the speed at which the low-cost carriers found the market, or the market found them. I would suggest there will be a parallel," he told AFP.
Even Singapore real estate tycoon Kwek Leng Beng, whose Hong Leong Group owns and manages luxurious hotels globally, wants a piece of the budget hotel sector.
City e-Solutions (CES), a hospitality business that is part of Kwek's Hong Leong Group, is one of three partners in a 50-million US dollar venture to expand Tune Hotels.Com in Southeast Asia.
The plan is to open 30 hotels under the Tune Hotels.Com brand in popular Southeast Asian destinations including Bangkok over the next 24 months.
CES will own 40 percent of the joint venture while Tune Hotels.Com will hold a 20 percent stake. Istithmar PSJC, the investment arm of state-owned Dubai World, will take the remaining 40 percent.
Kwek, Singapore's third richest individual with a net worth of 3.6 billion dollars according to Forbes magazine, sees an under-served hotel segment.
"It's only human nature that you want class, class, class but I have always believed that you should fulfil the needs of customers irrespective of class," Kwek said recently at a media briefing.
"There is a big need here... I believe this model is going to work and work well (and) I will invest further going forward," he said.
French hotel group Accor also plans to grow its economy brands in the region especially in China and India.
"China and India are still short of quality economy and budget hotels," Michael Issenberg, Accor's regional managing director, told AFP.
"While there have been many domestic operators of economy hotels, the sector has suffered from lack of reliability and consistency.
"That's what the Ibis brand is bringing to China and what Ibis and Formule 1 are bringing to India, a consistent product backed by an international operator."
India, for example, is estimated to need up to 80,000 economy-style rooms by 2010 to meet projected demand, said Issenberg.
Based in Paris, Accor operates in almost 100 countries and manages hotels from the luxurious Sofitel brand to the budget Formule 1 and Motel 6 labels.
- AFP/ir
Source From CNN
08 July 2007 1319 hrs (SST) 0519 hrs (GMT)
SINGAPORE : Having conquered Southeast Asian skies with his pioneering budget airline, Malaysian entrepreneur Tony Fernandes hopes to repeat the success of his business model with a down-to-earth chain of no-frills hotels.
Despite a chorus of sceptics, Fernandes almost single-handedly brought low-cost flying to the region with AirAsia.
Now he believes his Tune Hotels.Com project can do the same for budget accommodation in a region where cheap has usually equated with shabby and badly managed.
Co-founded by Fernandes, Tune Hotels.Com first opened in downtown Kuala Lumpur in April and has been enjoying an occupancy rate of more than 90 percent from day one, the company says.
Industry watchers say initial demand for the Kuala Lumpur outlet shows Southeast Asia is starved of quality in the sector.
"There are a lot of travellers who are looking for that kind of service," said Ali Mirza, executive director with market research consultancy MarketShare in Singapore.
"So there is a new need in the marketplace for budget hotels," he said, adding "chances are very high" of success.
Analysts believe demand for budget hotels will take off rapidly following the blossoming of the region's low-cost airline sector, led by AirAsia.
Fernandes launched AirAsia in December 2001 with just two aircraft. It now serves domestic and international routes throughout the region, and spawned a number of imitators.
Dennis Melka, director and co-founder of Tune Hotels.Com, said passengers flying the low-cost carriers cannot afford four- and five-star accommodation.
Nightly room rates at Tune Hotels.Com's Kuala Lumpur property start from 2.85 dollars, excluding taxes.
The hotel offers a bed and a hot shower but extras such as soap, towels and air conditioning cost more, much as snacks are served for a fee on AirAsia flights.
Along with the bare-bones service, both the airline and hotel offer an Internet-based reservation system which prices tickets or rooms cheaply if bookings are made in advance.
They also share similar logos. Both are done up in AirAsia's signature colours, with even the exterior of the seven-storey Kuala Lumpur hotel painted in bold red and white.
John Koldowski, director of strategic intelligence with the Pacific Asia Travel Association, believes branded budget hotel lodging will take off in the region.
"It's only a matter of time," said Koldowski, who is based in Bangkok.
"We were surprised with the speed at which the low-cost carriers found the market, or the market found them. I would suggest there will be a parallel," he told AFP.
Even Singapore real estate tycoon Kwek Leng Beng, whose Hong Leong Group owns and manages luxurious hotels globally, wants a piece of the budget hotel sector.
City e-Solutions (CES), a hospitality business that is part of Kwek's Hong Leong Group, is one of three partners in a 50-million US dollar venture to expand Tune Hotels.Com in Southeast Asia.
The plan is to open 30 hotels under the Tune Hotels.Com brand in popular Southeast Asian destinations including Bangkok over the next 24 months.
CES will own 40 percent of the joint venture while Tune Hotels.Com will hold a 20 percent stake. Istithmar PSJC, the investment arm of state-owned Dubai World, will take the remaining 40 percent.
Kwek, Singapore's third richest individual with a net worth of 3.6 billion dollars according to Forbes magazine, sees an under-served hotel segment.
"It's only human nature that you want class, class, class but I have always believed that you should fulfil the needs of customers irrespective of class," Kwek said recently at a media briefing.
"There is a big need here... I believe this model is going to work and work well (and) I will invest further going forward," he said.
French hotel group Accor also plans to grow its economy brands in the region especially in China and India.
"China and India are still short of quality economy and budget hotels," Michael Issenberg, Accor's regional managing director, told AFP.
"While there have been many domestic operators of economy hotels, the sector has suffered from lack of reliability and consistency.
"That's what the Ibis brand is bringing to China and what Ibis and Formule 1 are bringing to India, a consistent product backed by an international operator."
India, for example, is estimated to need up to 80,000 economy-style rooms by 2010 to meet projected demand, said Issenberg.
Based in Paris, Accor operates in almost 100 countries and manages hotels from the luxurious Sofitel brand to the budget Formule 1 and Motel 6 labels.
- AFP/ir
Source From CNN
China 'buried smog death finding'
China 'buried smog death finding'
The World Bank is alleged to have cut from a report research that suggests pollution causes hundreds of thousands of premature deaths annually in China.
The move followed pressure from Beijing, which believes the material is too sensitive and could lead to social unrest, said the UK's Financial Times.
It said information was cut from the forthcoming report after requests from two Chinese government departments.
The World Bank told the BBC the final version had not yet been finalised.
But a statement added: "[A preliminary] version of the report did not include some of the issues that are still under discussion."
The Financial Times said the Bank report, entitled 'Cost of Pollution in China', found up to 760,000 people die prematurely each year in China because of air and water pollution.
High levels of air pollution in China's cities leads to 350,000-400,000 premature deaths, it said. Another 300,000 die because of poor-quality air indoors.
The newspaper article, quoting World Bank advisers and Chinese officials, also said research showing that there are 60,000 premature deaths each year because of poor-quality water was also left out of the report.
'Social unrest'
"The World Bank was told that it could not publish this information. It was too sensitive and could cause social unrest," one adviser to the study told the Financial Times.
It said the bank "reluctantly" agreed to take out the sensitive information.
The World Bank told the BBC that information for the report, which is being compiled in conjunction with the Chinese government, was still under review.
CHINA'S EMISSIONS
Between 1994 and 2004, China's greenhouse gas emissions grew by 4% a year
China currently depends on coal to meet two-thirds of its energy needs
It hopes to raise its use of renewable energy from 7% to 10% by 2010
China may overtake the US as the world's largest emitter of greenhouse gases by the end of this year
A World Bank spokeswoman refused to say whether or not statistics about premature deaths were amongst the information taken out of the initial version.
Despite the apparent dispute over figures, the preliminary World Bank report published in March suggests air and water pollution do lead to an increased number of deaths in China.
It also says the total cost of air and water pollution in the country amounts to about 5.8% of gross domestic product.
According to the Financial Times, China's State Environmental Protection Administration (Sepa) and its health ministry asked the World Bank to cut out the reference to the specific number of pollution-related deaths.
The BBC could not reach anyone at Sepa to comment on the issue.
But the government department is certainly aware of China's pollution problems. Last month it said about 60% of Chinese cities regularly suffer from air pollution and have no centralised sewage treatment facilities.
The final World Bank report is due to be released soon.
The organisation has previously said that China is home to 16 of the world's 20 most-polluted cities.
Source From BBC
The World Bank is alleged to have cut from a report research that suggests pollution causes hundreds of thousands of premature deaths annually in China.
The move followed pressure from Beijing, which believes the material is too sensitive and could lead to social unrest, said the UK's Financial Times.
It said information was cut from the forthcoming report after requests from two Chinese government departments.
The World Bank told the BBC the final version had not yet been finalised.
But a statement added: "[A preliminary] version of the report did not include some of the issues that are still under discussion."
The Financial Times said the Bank report, entitled 'Cost of Pollution in China', found up to 760,000 people die prematurely each year in China because of air and water pollution.
High levels of air pollution in China's cities leads to 350,000-400,000 premature deaths, it said. Another 300,000 die because of poor-quality air indoors.
The newspaper article, quoting World Bank advisers and Chinese officials, also said research showing that there are 60,000 premature deaths each year because of poor-quality water was also left out of the report.
'Social unrest'
"The World Bank was told that it could not publish this information. It was too sensitive and could cause social unrest," one adviser to the study told the Financial Times.
It said the bank "reluctantly" agreed to take out the sensitive information.
The World Bank told the BBC that information for the report, which is being compiled in conjunction with the Chinese government, was still under review.
CHINA'S EMISSIONS
Between 1994 and 2004, China's greenhouse gas emissions grew by 4% a year
China currently depends on coal to meet two-thirds of its energy needs
It hopes to raise its use of renewable energy from 7% to 10% by 2010
China may overtake the US as the world's largest emitter of greenhouse gases by the end of this year
A World Bank spokeswoman refused to say whether or not statistics about premature deaths were amongst the information taken out of the initial version.
Despite the apparent dispute over figures, the preliminary World Bank report published in March suggests air and water pollution do lead to an increased number of deaths in China.
It also says the total cost of air and water pollution in the country amounts to about 5.8% of gross domestic product.
According to the Financial Times, China's State Environmental Protection Administration (Sepa) and its health ministry asked the World Bank to cut out the reference to the specific number of pollution-related deaths.
The BBC could not reach anyone at Sepa to comment on the issue.
But the government department is certainly aware of China's pollution problems. Last month it said about 60% of Chinese cities regularly suffer from air pollution and have no centralised sewage treatment facilities.
The final World Bank report is due to be released soon.
The organisation has previously said that China is home to 16 of the world's 20 most-polluted cities.
Source From BBC
Petrol pressure drives oil price
Friday, 29 June 2007, 15:44 GMT 16:44 UK
Petrol pressure drives oil price
Oil prices have continued their recent rally, adding almost $1 amid concerns that more crude will need to be refined to replenish US petrol stockpiles.
New York light crude added 92 cents, or 1.3%, to $70.49. In London, Brent crude climbed 95 cents, or 1.4%, to $71.47.
The US is entering its peak driving season and recent reports have shown that petrol supplies have dipped.
At the same time a number of refineries that had closed for repairs are set to reopen, adding to the demand for oil.
"We're heading into the July 4 holiday, the peak of summer demand, at the same time refineries are coming back on line," said Jason Schenker of Wachovia Bank.
"That's what's holding up this market."
A report by the US Energy Department's Energy Information Administration on Wednesday said gasoline inventories dropped 700,000 barrels in the week ending June 22. Analysts had expected an increase of 1.1 million barrels.
The same report also showed that there was a worsening situation in distillates such as heating oil, adding to the view that more crude will need to be refined.
"The inventory numbers are giving the pattern for the rest of the week," said Kevin Blemkin of Man Financial.
Source From BCC
Petrol pressure drives oil price
Oil prices have continued their recent rally, adding almost $1 amid concerns that more crude will need to be refined to replenish US petrol stockpiles.
New York light crude added 92 cents, or 1.3%, to $70.49. In London, Brent crude climbed 95 cents, or 1.4%, to $71.47.
The US is entering its peak driving season and recent reports have shown that petrol supplies have dipped.
At the same time a number of refineries that had closed for repairs are set to reopen, adding to the demand for oil.
"We're heading into the July 4 holiday, the peak of summer demand, at the same time refineries are coming back on line," said Jason Schenker of Wachovia Bank.
"That's what's holding up this market."
A report by the US Energy Department's Energy Information Administration on Wednesday said gasoline inventories dropped 700,000 barrels in the week ending June 22. Analysts had expected an increase of 1.1 million barrels.
The same report also showed that there was a worsening situation in distillates such as heating oil, adding to the view that more crude will need to be refined.
"The inventory numbers are giving the pattern for the rest of the week," said Kevin Blemkin of Man Financial.
Source From BCC
Car poll hails Japanese quality
Tuesday, 3 July 2007, 00:55 GMT 01:55 UK
Car poll hails Japanese quality
Japanese cars are the most reliable, the least polluting and the best to own, according to consumer group Which?
Honda has won this year's Reliability Award, based on a Which? readers' survey of 100,000 cars, beating the Best Manufacturer Award-winner Toyota.
The Green Award went to hybrid champion Toyota, ahead of runner-up BMW, which won the Road Testers' Award.
Some models by US marques Chevrolet, Chrysler and Dodge were criticised due to safety concerns.
Volvo's safety image was let down by concerns about seatbelts, which enabled Ford Galaxy and Toyota Auris to jointly grab the Safety Award.
Lexus won the Ownership Award ahead of Honda, though the Honda Jazz was this year's most reliable individual model.
Which? Car Awards 2007
Reliability: Honda
Best Manufacturer: Toyota
Safety: Toyota Auris/Ford Galaxy
Green: Toyota
Ownership: Lexus
Road Testers: BMW
Wooden Spoon: Dodge/Jeep
Consumer group slates dodgy cars
Safety-conscious car buyers should steer well clear of the Chrysler Voyager, a people carrier, the Dodge Caliber, a medium-sized car, and the Chevrolet Matiz, a rebadged small Daewoo, Which? said.
The only serious non-Japanese contender for the Reliability Award was Korea's Hyundai, which came joint third - alongside five Japanese marques: Daihatsu, Lexus, Mazda, Subaru and Suzuki, with Mitsubishi following closely behind.
Ford and Nissan also scored highly in the reliability stakes, though when considered at a group level they were both pulled down by their sister-marques.
Renault, Nissan's partner, and Land Rover, which is owned by Ford Motor, were at the bottom of the reliability league table.
Source From BCC
Car poll hails Japanese quality
Japanese cars are the most reliable, the least polluting and the best to own, according to consumer group Which?
Honda has won this year's Reliability Award, based on a Which? readers' survey of 100,000 cars, beating the Best Manufacturer Award-winner Toyota.
The Green Award went to hybrid champion Toyota, ahead of runner-up BMW, which won the Road Testers' Award.
Some models by US marques Chevrolet, Chrysler and Dodge were criticised due to safety concerns.
Volvo's safety image was let down by concerns about seatbelts, which enabled Ford Galaxy and Toyota Auris to jointly grab the Safety Award.
Lexus won the Ownership Award ahead of Honda, though the Honda Jazz was this year's most reliable individual model.
Which? Car Awards 2007
Reliability: Honda
Best Manufacturer: Toyota
Safety: Toyota Auris/Ford Galaxy
Green: Toyota
Ownership: Lexus
Road Testers: BMW
Wooden Spoon: Dodge/Jeep
Consumer group slates dodgy cars
Safety-conscious car buyers should steer well clear of the Chrysler Voyager, a people carrier, the Dodge Caliber, a medium-sized car, and the Chevrolet Matiz, a rebadged small Daewoo, Which? said.
The only serious non-Japanese contender for the Reliability Award was Korea's Hyundai, which came joint third - alongside five Japanese marques: Daihatsu, Lexus, Mazda, Subaru and Suzuki, with Mitsubishi following closely behind.
Ford and Nissan also scored highly in the reliability stakes, though when considered at a group level they were both pulled down by their sister-marques.
Renault, Nissan's partner, and Land Rover, which is owned by Ford Motor, were at the bottom of the reliability league table.
Source From BCC
Chinese shares in renewed slump
Thursday, 5 July 2007, 12:21 GMT 13:21 UK
Chinese shares in renewed slump
Chinese shares have fallen by more than 5% on fears that the rising number of listings and new share issues will weaken the value of existing stock.
The Shanghai Composite Index closed at 3,615.87 after its biggest one-day decline for 10 weeks.
A government plan to issue 1.5 trillion yuan ($200bn; £100bn) in special bonds to fund its foreign reserve investment agency also hit sentiment.
The losses could mean China's soaring market has peaked, analysts say.
"With huge new share supplies pouring into the market and under the pressure of the upcoming special bond issuance, investors see no hope for the market to reverse its recent weakness in the near term," said Zheng Weigang, a senior analyst at Shanghai Securities.
Inflation fears
Investors have been wary since late May, when Beijing moved to cool the market by increasing stamp duty on share transactions.
The Chinese government is keen to prevent rising inflation from spiralling out of control and to curb its soaring trade surplus, which has been the source of much contention with its key trade partners, such as the US.
Before the recent falls, the index had doubled in value this year alone and had pushed through the 4,000 mark.
Private investors have raced to transfer money from their savings accounts into shares over the past 18 months, with a quarter of the 102.5 million stock-trading accounts opened in that time.
This has prompted an increasing number of firms to seek initial public offerings on the main Shanghai market to take advantage of investor demand, such as China's biggest coal miner, Shenhua Energy, which plans to raise up to $6.3bn (£3.1bn) from a listing.
But this trend could have the opposite effect, as state-owned firms are seeking to dump loads of shares on the market to dilute existing prices.
And in May, China paved the way for corporate investors to acquire overseas assets, which could weaken further the appeal of the domestic market, analysts say.
Source From BCC
Chinese shares in renewed slump
Chinese shares have fallen by more than 5% on fears that the rising number of listings and new share issues will weaken the value of existing stock.
The Shanghai Composite Index closed at 3,615.87 after its biggest one-day decline for 10 weeks.
A government plan to issue 1.5 trillion yuan ($200bn; £100bn) in special bonds to fund its foreign reserve investment agency also hit sentiment.
The losses could mean China's soaring market has peaked, analysts say.
"With huge new share supplies pouring into the market and under the pressure of the upcoming special bond issuance, investors see no hope for the market to reverse its recent weakness in the near term," said Zheng Weigang, a senior analyst at Shanghai Securities.
Inflation fears
Investors have been wary since late May, when Beijing moved to cool the market by increasing stamp duty on share transactions.
The Chinese government is keen to prevent rising inflation from spiralling out of control and to curb its soaring trade surplus, which has been the source of much contention with its key trade partners, such as the US.
Before the recent falls, the index had doubled in value this year alone and had pushed through the 4,000 mark.
Private investors have raced to transfer money from their savings accounts into shares over the past 18 months, with a quarter of the 102.5 million stock-trading accounts opened in that time.
This has prompted an increasing number of firms to seek initial public offerings on the main Shanghai market to take advantage of investor demand, such as China's biggest coal miner, Shenhua Energy, which plans to raise up to $6.3bn (£3.1bn) from a listing.
But this trend could have the opposite effect, as state-owned firms are seeking to dump loads of shares on the market to dilute existing prices.
And in May, China paved the way for corporate investors to acquire overseas assets, which could weaken further the appeal of the domestic market, analysts say.
Source From BCC
Online auction for security bugs
Friday, 6 July 2007, 10:13 GMT 11:13 UK
Online auction for security bugs
Security researchers who find holes in software can now sell their findings to the highest bidder.
An online auction house has been created to bring together those who find the loopholes with the companies that can do something about them.
It aims to close the gap between the small number of bugs investigated and the huge number thought to exist.
By rewarding researchers, the auction house aims to prevent flaws getting in to the hands of hi-tech criminals.
Hard cash
Many malicious and criminal hackers rely on loopholes in widely used software, usually Windows, to get access to the valuable information on users PCs.
There is known to be a ready market for these vulnerabilities on the digital underground and significant sums of money can be made by selling them.
In early 2006 anti-virus firm Kaspersky Labs revealed that Russian hackers had been selling the Windows WMF vulnerability for $4000 (£2,000).
The loophole was offered for sale weeks before it was widely known about and long before Microsoft moved to close it.
Many criminal groups prefer to use vulnerabilities for their own ends to steal information or hijack computers rather than have any and every malicious hacker using them.
The independent auction house, called WabiSabiLabi, aims to staunch the flow of vulnerabilities to the underground by giving security researchers a legitimate marketplace for what they find.
"Our intention is that the marketplace facility on WSLabi will enable security researchers to get a fair price for their findings and ensure that they will no longer be forced to give them away for free or sell them to cyber-criminals," said Herman Zampariolo, head of the auction site.
He added that it could tempt many researchers to report findings they would otherwise keep quiet about. In this way it hopes to ensure many more vulnerabilities get reported.
"Very few of them are able or willing to report it to the 'right' people due to the fear of being exploited," said Mr Zampariolo.
Once a vulnerability is reported, WSLabi will confirm it is real and that it can be exploited. After this it will be placed on the auction site where it can be sold to the highest bidder or sold to just one firm.
WSLabi said it would ensure that all those who buy the vulnerabilities were legitimate.
The first vulnerabilities posted to WSLabi are selling for between 500 (£340) and 2000 (£1,350) euros.
Many other companies, such as iDefense and Tipping Point, run schemes that give cash rewards to security researchers who find serious loopholes in widely used software.
The Mozilla Foundation, which oversees development of the Firefox browser amongst other things, gives a t-shirt and a $500 (£250) bug bounty to anyone finding a critical vulnerability in its software.
Source from BCC
Online auction for security bugs
Security researchers who find holes in software can now sell their findings to the highest bidder.
An online auction house has been created to bring together those who find the loopholes with the companies that can do something about them.
It aims to close the gap between the small number of bugs investigated and the huge number thought to exist.
By rewarding researchers, the auction house aims to prevent flaws getting in to the hands of hi-tech criminals.
Hard cash
Many malicious and criminal hackers rely on loopholes in widely used software, usually Windows, to get access to the valuable information on users PCs.
There is known to be a ready market for these vulnerabilities on the digital underground and significant sums of money can be made by selling them.
In early 2006 anti-virus firm Kaspersky Labs revealed that Russian hackers had been selling the Windows WMF vulnerability for $4000 (£2,000).
The loophole was offered for sale weeks before it was widely known about and long before Microsoft moved to close it.
Many criminal groups prefer to use vulnerabilities for their own ends to steal information or hijack computers rather than have any and every malicious hacker using them.
The independent auction house, called WabiSabiLabi, aims to staunch the flow of vulnerabilities to the underground by giving security researchers a legitimate marketplace for what they find.
"Our intention is that the marketplace facility on WSLabi will enable security researchers to get a fair price for their findings and ensure that they will no longer be forced to give them away for free or sell them to cyber-criminals," said Herman Zampariolo, head of the auction site.
He added that it could tempt many researchers to report findings they would otherwise keep quiet about. In this way it hopes to ensure many more vulnerabilities get reported.
"Very few of them are able or willing to report it to the 'right' people due to the fear of being exploited," said Mr Zampariolo.
Once a vulnerability is reported, WSLabi will confirm it is real and that it can be exploited. After this it will be placed on the auction site where it can be sold to the highest bidder or sold to just one firm.
WSLabi said it would ensure that all those who buy the vulnerabilities were legitimate.
The first vulnerabilities posted to WSLabi are selling for between 500 (£340) and 2000 (£1,350) euros.
Many other companies, such as iDefense and Tipping Point, run schemes that give cash rewards to security researchers who find serious loopholes in widely used software.
The Mozilla Foundation, which oversees development of the Firefox browser amongst other things, gives a t-shirt and a $500 (£250) bug bounty to anyone finding a critical vulnerability in its software.
Source from BCC
Hackers, defenders target security, iPhones, MySpace and more
Hackers, defenders target security, iPhones, MySpace and more
31 July 2007 1017 hrs (SST) 0217 hrs (GMT)
SAN FRANCISCO: Computer security wizards are gathering to share insights about threats ranging from cyber warfare to hacking Apple iPhones or MySpace website profile pages.
Briefings that begin Wednesday at the 11th annual Black Hat conference in Las Vegas include the potential to crack into Microsoft's new Vista operating system and the Apple Leopard operating system due out in October.
Black Hat organisers promise 20 new vulnerabilities in popular computer software will be unveiled along with an equal number of "tools", ways to launch attacks that take advantage of flaws in programmes.
"If researchers are talking about something, that gives you a glimpse into what the future holds," Black Hat founder Jeff Moss told AFP on Monday.
"A lot of companies and governments want to know what direction things are moving in and get ready for it."
While "Black Hat" in computer parlance refers to someone who hacks into systems, the conferees largely wear the white hats of security professionals and government officials.
US National Security Agency chief of vulnerability analysis Tony Sager will give an opening speech and federal "cyber cops" will led a forum on threats.
"A lot of things will be discussed at Black Hat," Moss said, citing "the changing nature of botnets and spam armies and how cyber warfare has been evolving during the past five years."
"Botnets" are legions of computers controlled by hackers that have infected them with malicious code, usually without owner knowledge.
Infected computers become "zombies," which hackers enlist in "spam armies" for online attacks.
Gadi Evron, a US "security evangelist", will discuss the massive online attacks on Estonia earlier this year in what is referred to at the gathering as "the first Internet war".
Evron was part of a team that helped in the aftermath of the attacks.
"As we saw in Estonia, cyber warfare is more sophisticated and coordinated," Moss said.
Black Hat seminars include a way to mine data and gain unrestricted access to pages on social networking websites such as MySpace and Flickr, according to organisers.
Researchers will detail vulnerabilities in Apple's iPhones, including a flaw in Safari web browsing software that opens the door to slipping malicious code into the devices.
"People will pay attention to iPhone for a while because it is an interesting new platform," Moss said.
"It is such a small percentage of the market compared to Windows that it seems people are doing it to make names for themselves."
Hot topics include ways to "weaponise media files" by embedding video or music downloads with software that lets hackers spy on users or take over their machines.
Similar themes are expected at an infamous gathering of hackers referred to as DefCon that starts in Las Vegas on Friday after Black Hat ends.
DefCon draws renegade software geniuses. The annual gathering is marking its 15th year and features hacking games, lock picking and alcohol-infused socialising along with seminars.
"If Black Hat is the university then DefCon is the frat party," said Moss, the founder of both events. - AFP/fa
Source From CNA
31 July 2007 1017 hrs (SST) 0217 hrs (GMT)
SAN FRANCISCO: Computer security wizards are gathering to share insights about threats ranging from cyber warfare to hacking Apple iPhones or MySpace website profile pages.
Briefings that begin Wednesday at the 11th annual Black Hat conference in Las Vegas include the potential to crack into Microsoft's new Vista operating system and the Apple Leopard operating system due out in October.
Black Hat organisers promise 20 new vulnerabilities in popular computer software will be unveiled along with an equal number of "tools", ways to launch attacks that take advantage of flaws in programmes.
"If researchers are talking about something, that gives you a glimpse into what the future holds," Black Hat founder Jeff Moss told AFP on Monday.
"A lot of companies and governments want to know what direction things are moving in and get ready for it."
While "Black Hat" in computer parlance refers to someone who hacks into systems, the conferees largely wear the white hats of security professionals and government officials.
US National Security Agency chief of vulnerability analysis Tony Sager will give an opening speech and federal "cyber cops" will led a forum on threats.
"A lot of things will be discussed at Black Hat," Moss said, citing "the changing nature of botnets and spam armies and how cyber warfare has been evolving during the past five years."
"Botnets" are legions of computers controlled by hackers that have infected them with malicious code, usually without owner knowledge.
Infected computers become "zombies," which hackers enlist in "spam armies" for online attacks.
Gadi Evron, a US "security evangelist", will discuss the massive online attacks on Estonia earlier this year in what is referred to at the gathering as "the first Internet war".
Evron was part of a team that helped in the aftermath of the attacks.
"As we saw in Estonia, cyber warfare is more sophisticated and coordinated," Moss said.
Black Hat seminars include a way to mine data and gain unrestricted access to pages on social networking websites such as MySpace and Flickr, according to organisers.
Researchers will detail vulnerabilities in Apple's iPhones, including a flaw in Safari web browsing software that opens the door to slipping malicious code into the devices.
"People will pay attention to iPhone for a while because it is an interesting new platform," Moss said.
"It is such a small percentage of the market compared to Windows that it seems people are doing it to make names for themselves."
Hot topics include ways to "weaponise media files" by embedding video or music downloads with software that lets hackers spy on users or take over their machines.
Similar themes are expected at an infamous gathering of hackers referred to as DefCon that starts in Las Vegas on Friday after Black Hat ends.
DefCon draws renegade software geniuses. The annual gathering is marking its 15th year and features hacking games, lock picking and alcohol-infused socialising along with seminars.
"If Black Hat is the university then DefCon is the frat party," said Moss, the founder of both events. - AFP/fa
Source From CNA
Tech security firm claims iPhone vulnerable to hacking
Tech security firm claims iPhone vulnerable to hacking
24 July 2007 1012 hrs (SST) 0212 hrs (GMT)
SAN FRANCISCO - A computer security firm said Monday that it had found a way to hack into Apple's new iPhones, take command of the devices and steal stored information.
Researchers at Independent Security Evaluators (ISE) said they were able to slip past the iPhone's defences through WiFi connections, or by tricking users into visiting websites that secretly implant malicious computer code.
ISE said by tricking iPhone owners into downloading the code or luring them into traps at wireless (WiFi) "hot spots," hackers can turn the devices into "zombies" under their command.
The vulnerability is in the Apple Safari web browser used by iPhones to access the Internet, according to ISE security analyst Jake Honoroff.
"An attacker who can get a user to go to a website that they control can basically take complete control of the iPhone through a flaw in mobile Safari," Honoroff told AFP.
"They can really do anything the iPhone can do; read any file, passwords, text messages, call history, contacts and other stuff."
A hacker can even activate iPhone recording features, turning devices into "bugs" planted on owners, Honoroff said.
ISE has shared the discovery, along with a way to patch the vulnerability, with Apple.
ISE specialises in testing computer security by attacking systems online.
"We are looking into the report submitted by ISE and always welcome feedback on how to improve our security," Apple spokeswoman Lynn Fox told AFP.
"We take security very seriously."
Apple has not heard of any iPhones being "hijacked" by hackers, according to Fox.
The key to the hack is luring people to bogus websites where malicious computer code is automatically downloaded to visitors' iPhones, Honoroff said.
In a practice referred to as "phishing" or "social engineering," hackers trick people with e-mails claiming to be from legitimate businesses or promising rewards if recipients click on enclosed computer links.
Links in the messages connect to bogus websites rigged with malicious computer codes or asking for sensitive information such as passwords or personal financial data.
"Traditional phishing can be just trying to get a user to enter bank account numbers," Honoroff said. "In this case all they would have to do is get the person to click on the link and that would download the exploit."
Hackers could also get malicious code onto iPhones by operating wireless access "hot spots" and then routing iPhone-using visitors to rigged websites, according to Honortware savants have been trying to hack the iPhone since it went on sale in the United States in June, mostly in an effort to break the exclusive bond it has with service provider AT&T.
Infamous Norwegian hacker Jon Leck Johansen claims on his online blog that he has found a way to activate the iPhone's music and WiFi features, but has yet to do the same with the telephone capabilities. - AFP/fa
Source From CNA
24 July 2007 1012 hrs (SST) 0212 hrs (GMT)
SAN FRANCISCO - A computer security firm said Monday that it had found a way to hack into Apple's new iPhones, take command of the devices and steal stored information.
Researchers at Independent Security Evaluators (ISE) said they were able to slip past the iPhone's defences through WiFi connections, or by tricking users into visiting websites that secretly implant malicious computer code.
ISE said by tricking iPhone owners into downloading the code or luring them into traps at wireless (WiFi) "hot spots," hackers can turn the devices into "zombies" under their command.
The vulnerability is in the Apple Safari web browser used by iPhones to access the Internet, according to ISE security analyst Jake Honoroff.
"An attacker who can get a user to go to a website that they control can basically take complete control of the iPhone through a flaw in mobile Safari," Honoroff told AFP.
"They can really do anything the iPhone can do; read any file, passwords, text messages, call history, contacts and other stuff."
A hacker can even activate iPhone recording features, turning devices into "bugs" planted on owners, Honoroff said.
ISE has shared the discovery, along with a way to patch the vulnerability, with Apple.
ISE specialises in testing computer security by attacking systems online.
"We are looking into the report submitted by ISE and always welcome feedback on how to improve our security," Apple spokeswoman Lynn Fox told AFP.
"We take security very seriously."
Apple has not heard of any iPhones being "hijacked" by hackers, according to Fox.
The key to the hack is luring people to bogus websites where malicious computer code is automatically downloaded to visitors' iPhones, Honoroff said.
In a practice referred to as "phishing" or "social engineering," hackers trick people with e-mails claiming to be from legitimate businesses or promising rewards if recipients click on enclosed computer links.
Links in the messages connect to bogus websites rigged with malicious computer codes or asking for sensitive information such as passwords or personal financial data.
"Traditional phishing can be just trying to get a user to enter bank account numbers," Honoroff said. "In this case all they would have to do is get the person to click on the link and that would download the exploit."
Hackers could also get malicious code onto iPhones by operating wireless access "hot spots" and then routing iPhone-using visitors to rigged websites, according to Honortware savants have been trying to hack the iPhone since it went on sale in the United States in June, mostly in an effort to break the exclusive bond it has with service provider AT&T.
Infamous Norwegian hacker Jon Leck Johansen claims on his online blog that he has found a way to activate the iPhone's music and WiFi features, but has yet to do the same with the telephone capabilities. - AFP/fa
Source From CNA
Online sharing videos, music can attract hackers
Online sharing videos, music can attract hackers
03 August 2007 1414 hrs (SST) 0614 hrs (GMT)
LAS VEGAS - Online sharing of videos and music at the heart of today's Internet lifestyle gives hackers dangerous new avenues for attacking computers, security specialists said Thursday.
Malicious code can be hidden in video streamed or downloaded from websites such as YouTube or songs streamed from social-networking websites including MySpace, iSEC researcher David Thiel demonstrated at a Black Hat gathering of computer protection professionals in Las Vegas.
"The potential for attack is pretty severe," Thiel said. "Any MySpace page you go to you can't get it to stop playing music at you. You will probably start seeing malware installs this way just like we see through images."
The kinds of "malware," malicious software, that can be "injected" through video or music files run the gamut from programs meant to simply be annoying to code that takes command of infected machines for "bot armies."
"Stream formats are good for containing exploit code and are quite dangerous because of the widespread use of it with kids online these days," Thiel said.
"It is used so constantly."
Applications vulnerable to hackers include those used for MP3 music files; a speech feature in Microsoft's Xbox Live online video game software, and Internet telephony, according to Thiel.
Security specialists at Black Hat say the popularity of "user-generated content" considered a defining characteristic of today's Web 2.0 Internet opens users to betrayal and attack online.
"Web 2.0 is a trust model with users controlling the content," said Websense researcher Stephan Chenette.
"You are building this gigantic network of friends. You have to trust that I am who I say I am and that the content is what I say it is. Trust is sometimes taken advantage of."
Malware-tainted video or audio files uploaded to social-networking websites can be rapidly sent to members by automated programs, said SPI Dynamics vice president Erik Peterson.
Last year it was revealed hackers use RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feeds to distribute malicious code to thousands of people instantly, Peterson said.
"Some say we are doomed to repeat the past and there is nothing you can do about it" Peterson told AFP. "Don't trust data you get from anyone."
Thiel believes music recording labels and movie studios will use flaws in media files to insert stealth coding that tracks or disables pirated songs, shows or movies.
Media software applications vulnerable to hacking are being used in "smart" mobile telephones as well as cars and home multi-media systems, according to Thiel.
It is imperative computer users educate themselves regarding protecting software and dangers lurking on the Internet, Chenette said.
People should bear in mind that websites in certain countries such as Russia are often lures set up by cyber criminals and that sites offering content such as sex videos frequently hide computer viruses, according to Chenette.
"If I'm going to a gambling website or if I'm going to a porn site it is much more likely to have malicious content on it," Chenette said. "Web 2.0 is something to be very wary of." - AFP/fa
Source from CNA
03 August 2007 1414 hrs (SST) 0614 hrs (GMT)
LAS VEGAS - Online sharing of videos and music at the heart of today's Internet lifestyle gives hackers dangerous new avenues for attacking computers, security specialists said Thursday.
Malicious code can be hidden in video streamed or downloaded from websites such as YouTube or songs streamed from social-networking websites including MySpace, iSEC researcher David Thiel demonstrated at a Black Hat gathering of computer protection professionals in Las Vegas.
"The potential for attack is pretty severe," Thiel said. "Any MySpace page you go to you can't get it to stop playing music at you. You will probably start seeing malware installs this way just like we see through images."
The kinds of "malware," malicious software, that can be "injected" through video or music files run the gamut from programs meant to simply be annoying to code that takes command of infected machines for "bot armies."
"Stream formats are good for containing exploit code and are quite dangerous because of the widespread use of it with kids online these days," Thiel said.
"It is used so constantly."
Applications vulnerable to hackers include those used for MP3 music files; a speech feature in Microsoft's Xbox Live online video game software, and Internet telephony, according to Thiel.
Security specialists at Black Hat say the popularity of "user-generated content" considered a defining characteristic of today's Web 2.0 Internet opens users to betrayal and attack online.
"Web 2.0 is a trust model with users controlling the content," said Websense researcher Stephan Chenette.
"You are building this gigantic network of friends. You have to trust that I am who I say I am and that the content is what I say it is. Trust is sometimes taken advantage of."
Malware-tainted video or audio files uploaded to social-networking websites can be rapidly sent to members by automated programs, said SPI Dynamics vice president Erik Peterson.
Last year it was revealed hackers use RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feeds to distribute malicious code to thousands of people instantly, Peterson said.
"Some say we are doomed to repeat the past and there is nothing you can do about it" Peterson told AFP. "Don't trust data you get from anyone."
Thiel believes music recording labels and movie studios will use flaws in media files to insert stealth coding that tracks or disables pirated songs, shows or movies.
Media software applications vulnerable to hacking are being used in "smart" mobile telephones as well as cars and home multi-media systems, according to Thiel.
It is imperative computer users educate themselves regarding protecting software and dangers lurking on the Internet, Chenette said.
People should bear in mind that websites in certain countries such as Russia are often lures set up by cyber criminals and that sites offering content such as sex videos frequently hide computer viruses, according to Chenette.
"If I'm going to a gambling website or if I'm going to a porn site it is much more likely to have malicious content on it," Chenette said. "Web 2.0 is something to be very wary of." - AFP/fa
Source from CNA
Rio Tinto, Malaysian firm to build major aluminium smelter
Rio Tinto, Malaysian firm to build major aluminium smelter07 August 2007 1642 hrs (SST) 0842 hrs (GMT)
KUALA LUMPUR: Global Anglo-Australian miner Rio Tinto on Tuesday signed an agreement with Malaysia's Cahaya Mata Sarawak (CMS) to study building what could be one of the world's largest aluminium smelters. The cost of the project was not disclosed but industry sources have indicated a figure of around two billion US dollars for the smelter which would use power from the controversial Bakun Dam being built on Borneo island. The study will take 12 to 18 months, covering technical, operational, environmental, social and economic analysis of the proposed smelter. The smelter, to be known as the Sarawak Aluminium Company, would be situated in Similajau and expected to commence operation by the end of 2010. It would have an initial production capacity of 550,000 tonnes per year, rising to 1.5 million tonnes in time. "This is a very positive development for Rio Tinto Aluminium and an important step in our plans to develop new greenfield aluminium smelting capacity," Rio Tinto Aluminium chief executive Oscar Groeneveld said in a statement. He said the project could provide nearly 5,000 direct and indirect jobs, as well as help boost Malaysia's overall economy. "CMS and Rio Tinto Aluminium are committed to develop the project to world class environmental and community standards," Goeneveld said. CMS chairman Syed Anwar Jamalullail said his firm's experience as Sarawak's leading infrastructure development company would complement technical expertise to be provided by Rio Tinto. Electricity for the smelter is expected to come from the Bakun Hydroelectric Dam. The dam, currently under construction, has met with strong criticism because up to 10,000 tribal residents were forced to relocate. Rio Tinto Aluminium is part of the Rio Tinto Group and owns and manages mining, refining and smelting assets mainly situated in Australia and New Zealand. The group is set to become the world's largest aluminium producer through its recent 38.1 billion US dollar takeover of Canada's Alcan Inc. - AFP/ac
Source From CNA
KUALA LUMPUR: Global Anglo-Australian miner Rio Tinto on Tuesday signed an agreement with Malaysia's Cahaya Mata Sarawak (CMS) to study building what could be one of the world's largest aluminium smelters. The cost of the project was not disclosed but industry sources have indicated a figure of around two billion US dollars for the smelter which would use power from the controversial Bakun Dam being built on Borneo island. The study will take 12 to 18 months, covering technical, operational, environmental, social and economic analysis of the proposed smelter. The smelter, to be known as the Sarawak Aluminium Company, would be situated in Similajau and expected to commence operation by the end of 2010. It would have an initial production capacity of 550,000 tonnes per year, rising to 1.5 million tonnes in time. "This is a very positive development for Rio Tinto Aluminium and an important step in our plans to develop new greenfield aluminium smelting capacity," Rio Tinto Aluminium chief executive Oscar Groeneveld said in a statement. He said the project could provide nearly 5,000 direct and indirect jobs, as well as help boost Malaysia's overall economy. "CMS and Rio Tinto Aluminium are committed to develop the project to world class environmental and community standards," Goeneveld said. CMS chairman Syed Anwar Jamalullail said his firm's experience as Sarawak's leading infrastructure development company would complement technical expertise to be provided by Rio Tinto. Electricity for the smelter is expected to come from the Bakun Hydroelectric Dam. The dam, currently under construction, has met with strong criticism because up to 10,000 tribal residents were forced to relocate. Rio Tinto Aluminium is part of the Rio Tinto Group and owns and manages mining, refining and smelting assets mainly situated in Australia and New Zealand. The group is set to become the world's largest aluminium producer through its recent 38.1 billion US dollar takeover of Canada's Alcan Inc. - AFP/ac
Source From CNA
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