Although addressed primarily to Internet Society members, the following message contains information which should be of interest to librarians, lawyers and other important stakeholders in the internet community who need to follow ongoing developments.
Dear Members, Friends, and Colleagues,
The end of 2009 is here – and what a year it has been. The Internet
Includes both useful resources and a request for information from the courts.
Nora Sydow reports that the National Center for State Courts (NCSC) has recently developed a Social Media and the Courts web module. Included in this module is a state links page that links to courts that are using Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, etc. In an effort to make this page as complete as possible, we are asking for your help.
(1) If your court is using a social media site, could you please send me the link(s) so we can include them in our state links page?
January – February 2010 Issue:
The January/February 2010 issue of D-Lib Magazine (http://www.dlib.org/) is now available.
This issue contains eight articles, two conference reports, the ‘In Brief’ column, excerpts from recent press releases, and news of upcoming conferences and other items of interest in ‘Clips and Pointers’. This month, D-Lib features The Swingle Plant Anatomy Reference Collection, a historical collection of plant anatomical microscope slides, courtesy of University of Miami Libraries.
Volume 2 Number 12 December 2009.
Automatic Software Updates and Patching
From the Desk of David Badertscher
Security vulnerabilities are flaws in the software that could allow someone to potentially compromise your system. Each year, the volume of software security vulnerabilities discovered increases, and the hacking tools available to exploit these vulnerabilities become more readily available and easier to use. Vulnerabilities in commonly used programs such as Adobe PDF Reader, QuickTime, Adobe Flash and Microsoft Office are prime targets of attacks on computers connected to the Internet. Recent statistics reported show that 48% of the cyber attacks identified in the second quarter of 2009 were targeted against vulnerabilities in Adobe Acrobat/Adobe Reader1 and in October 2009 Microsoft released patches for a record number of security holes. No entity is immune to vulnerabilities, so we must ensure we understand the risks and take appropriate mitigation steps.
Why do I need to update my software?
One of the basic tenets of computer security is to update your operating system and other software installed on your computer. Software updates fix problems in the software, add functionality, and most importantly, fix vulnerabilities that impact the security of the software and subsequently your computer. These vulnerabilities can lead to your computer-and information that resides on it-being compromised. Exploitation of vulnerabilities may occur by opening documents, viewing an email which contains malicious code or visiting a web site hosting malicious content. Seventy percent of the top 100 web sites hosted malicious content or contained a link designed to redirect users to malicious sites.2
What is a software patch (fix) and when should I install software patches?
Patches are often called “fixes.” A patch is software that is used to correct a problem to an application (software program) or an operating system. Computer companies are continuously addressing security holes (i.e. vulnerabilities) in computer software which could be used to infect your computer with a virus, spyware or worse. When vulnerabilities are discovered, the software vendor typically issues a fix (i.e. patch) to correct the problem. This fix should be applied as soon as possible since the average time for someone to try to exploit this security hole can be as little as a few minutes. Most major software companies will periodically release patches, usually downloadable from the Internet, that correct very specific problems in their software programs.
My computer includes hundreds of software programs– which ones do I need to update and how often?
One of the challenges facing the average computer user is to know which software needs to be updated and how often. Software programs that communicate or interact with the Internet are especially susceptible to attacks and should be kept at a vendor-supported version and current on all patches.
Many software programs include a feature called “auto update.” This feature allows the computer to check for updates at periodic intervals. The software will automatically check for updates and save them to your computer. Some updates will instruct you to “reboot” your computer before the software update can be applied.
At a minimum, you should enable the auto update feature on the following products:
Anti-virus and Anti-spam signatures: anti-virus and anti-spam software requires regular updates to virus and spam signatures to remain effective. New viruses and other types of malware appear every day and the anti-virus/anti-spam vendors release new signatures on a daily basis to stay on top of the new threats. Windows Office software: Word, Excel, Outlook, etc. – (see below for updating Windows software) Internet Browsers: e.g., Internet Explorer (Microsoft), Firefox (Mozilla), Safari (Apple) and Chrome (Google). Make sure you update any software you use for browsing the Internet. Adobe products: e.g., Adobe Reader, Adobe Acrobat, Flash, Shockwave Media Players: e.g., Windows Media Player (Microsoft), QuickTime (Apple), Real Player (Real Networks) and Flash Player (Adobe)
Java (Sun Microsystems): Java is software that is installed on most computers to allow users to play online games, conduct online chats, and view images in 3D, among other functions. It is also used for Intranet applications and other e-business solutions. Other software programs that communicate or interact with the Internet, like e-mail, web servers, and remote desktop software are especially susceptible to attacks and should be kept current on patches and version levels.
It is very important to promptly download and patch your operating system and programs whenever security updates or “service packs” become available. These patches are created to protect systems against potential attacks. Be aware that attacks sometimes occur before updates are released.
How do I update my Microsoft Windows programs?
Windows Update is a Microsoft service that provides updates for the Windows operating system and other Microsoft software. Installing Windows updates, such as “service packs” and other patches, is necessary to keep your Windows system secure. To activate Windows Update, go to Settings/Control Panel/Automatic Updates. When you turn on Automatic Updates, Windows routinely checks the Windows Update web site for high-priority updates that can help protect your computer from the latest viruses and other security threats. These updates can include security updates, critical updates, and “service packs.” Depending on the setting you choose, Windows automatically downloads and installs any high-priority updates that your computer needs, or notifies you as these updates become available. Be sure to set the auto updates to daily, as patches can be released at any time.
Note: Many organizations have formal processes to patch systems that will automatically update all appropriate software. In these situations, no end user action is required.
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Source: 1. F-Secure
Source: 2. SC Magazine
The above comments are based on information tips provided by the Multi-State Information and Analysis Center (MS-ISAC). To learn more about MS-ISAC go to http://www.msisac.org/
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OTHER NEWS AND VIEWS Continue reading
David Badertscher*
Some jurors have always had an urge to visit a crime scene or research a case they’re considering while on jury duty, but now the Internet is making it much easier to play detective.
“As simple as it might have been to research facts on their own in the past, now jurors don’t have to have a brother-in-law who’s a doctor or a next-door neighbor who’s a dentist. Everyone has access to the world of doctors and dentists,” says Laura A. Miller, the chair of the criminal litigation section of the American Bar Association and a partner at Nixon Peabody.
GungaWeb is an online tool that assists analysis of New York criminal cases with respect to sentencing, lesser included offenses, plea bargaining restrictions, charging and offense elements.
Detailed sentencing reports for all Penal Law offenses plus DWI and,now for 2009, Aggravated Unlicensed Operation of a Motor Vehicle (VTL511). Dynamic detailed and summary reports of lesser included and greater inclusory offenses. Commentary on pertinent legislative amendments included.
Current subscribers include over 100 New York judges and law clerks.
I received the following letter from the ABA Journal along with a request to send it along to our readers. I urge all of you to contribute to the Blawg 100 conversation.
David Badertscher
Dear Blawgger,
Since the beginning of the last century when physicists determined that light could be considered as consisting of particles (photons) as well as waves, there have been efforts, with varying degrees of success, to use light to further the development of technology and communications. One of the latest attempts as reported by Judge Herbert Dixon Jr. in a recent e-mail involves fascinating research by Intel to develop a new optical interconnect using Light Peak optical technology to link mobile devices to displays and storage up to 100 meters away. The technology uses light to provide communication between data systems and devices associated with PCs at speeds up to 10 gigabits per second..
Judge Dixon reports that: Current cable technology uses electricity to transfer data which limits the speed and length of the transmission. Using Light Peak as the platform (containing a controller chip and an optical module), electricity is converted to light, increasing transmission length. Light Peak also retains the quality of high-definition video displays from transmissions over several meters. It can transfer full length Blu-Ray movies in less than 30 seconds, and runs multiple protocols simultaneously over a single cable..
Click here for added discussion about this technology.
Volume 2 Number 11 November 2009
Online Holiday Shopping Tips
From the Desk of David Badertscher
White Paper by Nelson Reust and Danielle Reust
The authors write: ” Migration to Windows 7 is a future reality for most. With XP approaching its end of life, and many organizations choosing to skip Vista as an interim step, the new Windows 7 release holds the promise of new features and benefits that include added security, improved manageability and enhanced ease of use. Regardless of the starting point, a migration to Windows 7 is a path that holds as many questions and challenges as it does potential rewards. Planning now can ensure a smooth transition in 2010.”
Click here to see the complete paper.
Criminal Law Library Blog