This week we learned how to setup network bootable utility discs using PXE, stream video to both iOS and Android devices with Plex, “check Android OS version numbers, enable headphone jacks for simultaneous speaker/headphone output, & load files on an iPad”, found some great Geek Deals, had fun with anime wallpapers for Android phones, and more.

Photo by ntr23.

Weekly News Links

Photo by Davide Restivo.

• FBI infiltrates US hacker scene
  Quoting Eric Corley, the editor of hacker magazine 2600, the Guardian newspaper reports that an estimated one quarter of all US hackers and crackers are working as informants for the FBI.
• Citigroup latest bank to disclose hack: 200k accounts compromised
  Citigroup has announced that personal information belonging to some of its credit card customers had been compromised by hackers. In total, about 1 percent of Citi’s 21 million customers had their data taken.
• China linked to new breaches tied to RSA
  Recent attacks on three U.S. defense contractors could be tied to cyberespionage campaigns waged from China, several security experts told CNET.
• Adobe issues fix for Flash hole being used in attacks
  Adobe has released an emergency fix for a bug in Flash Player that is being used to try to trick Gmail users into clicking on a malicious link in an e-mail message in order to forward e-mail messages to an attacker’s account.
• Critical Vulnerabilities in IE9 and Windows 7 SP1 to Be Patched Next Week
  Users running Windows 7 Service Pack 1 (SP1) and Internet Explorer 9 will need to apply a number of Critical security bulletins which Microsoft plans to release as part of the company’s monthly patch cycle.
• Fake Microsoft Updates Used in Attacks Targeting Firefox on Windows
  After masquerading rogue antivirus as Microsoft Security Essentials and a range of additional genuine security solutions, cybercriminals are even copying the Microsoft Update site with the latest fake AV attack targeted at users of Firefox on Windows.
• Worm uses built-in DHCP server to spread
  A variant of the Alureon rootkit is hijacking DHCP on local networks to spread itself, according to a blog posting from Kaspersky.
• Twitter authorisation misleads users
  Twitter has been updating its OAuth system to allow for finer grained control of the permissions users give to third party applications regarding the actions the apps can take with their Twitter account. But Simon Colijn discovered that the implementation of this new system is somewhat incomplete and will mislead users.
• Mozilla disables Firefox 5 WebGL’s cross domain textures – update 2
  Mozilla is disabling cross domain textures in Firefox 5′s WebGL implementation after a researcher demonstrated an ability to abuse the capability.
• Anonymous warns NATO not to challenge it
  Responding to a recent report from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization condemning Anonymous, the online “hacktivist” group has issued a public response warning the global organization not to challenge it.
• Microsoft: Rustock still dead but hunt on for culprits
  Though Rustock remains down for the count, according to Microsoft, the hunt goes on for the creators of the infamous botnet.
• Facebook facial recognition prompts EU privacy probe
  Facebook and its opt-out-by-default policies have struck again, this time with automated photo-tagging through facial recognition, which had been in tests but is now being rolled out internationally. Bloomberg reports that European Union data-protection regulators say they will investigate the photo-tagging feature.
• Facebook sorry over photo tagging rollout
  Facebook has apologized over how its new photo-tagging function was rolled out, acknowledging that more should have been done to inform members about the global launch.
• Senators target Bitcoin currency, citing drug sales
  Bitcoin, a peer-to-peer currency floating around the Web, is now being targeted by two prominent senators.
• Protect IP copyright bill faces growing criticism
  Technologists are warning that the practical effects of a controversial copyright bill backed by Hollywood will “weaken” Internet security and cause other harmful side effects.

Random TinyHacker Links

• Using a Tablet with Windows 7?
  If the answer is yes, you might want to check out this article – the ending episode of a great series of tutorials on tools like: Tablet Input Panel, Math Input Panel and Windows Journal. Definitely useful!
• Apps in the Apple App Store
  An interesting infographic chock full of stats and figures on the current state of the Apple App Store.

Super User Questions

If you have questions then Super User has the answers you are looking for. Here are some of this week’s most popular questions.

• How will IPv6 impact everyday users? (World IPv6 Day)
• Installing an old Linux distro on a new piece of hardware
• How does a computer restart itself?
• Dual-monitors with one VGA port?
• Where to get legally Windows XP?

How-To Geek Weekly Article Recap

Have you had a busy week and missed out on some articles? Then get caught up with our hottest HTG Main articles of the week.

• How To Make High Resolution Windows 7 Icons Out of Any Image
• How To Wirelessly Access Network Shares from Your iOS Device
• Learn How to Make HDR Images in Photoshop or GIMP With a Simple Trick
• Ask the Readers: How Do You Encrypt Your Data?
• From the Tips Box: Splitting Speakers, Glow in the Dark Ports, and Focusing with Earplugs

Geeky Goodness from the ETC Side

Relax and have fun this weekend with our most popular ETC posts of the week.

• Always Have an Answer on Hand with the IT Service Desk Wheel of Responses [Humorous Image]
• Download the Entire National Academies Press Library for Free
• Computer Hard Drive Teardown [Video]
• Awesome Steampunk Icons for Your Age of Steam Desktop
• Give Your Desktop a Steampunk Look with the Echoes of the Past Theme for Windows 7
• Free Floating Among the Clouds [Wallpaper]
• Serene Ocean Bubbles [Wallpaper]
• Cityscape Vector Overlay [Wallpaper]
• Analysis of Sony Leak Shows Weak and Duplicate Passwords
• Now You Can Dial [Geek History/Video]

One Year Ago on How-To Geek

Dig into a weekend project with your favorite DVDs, CDs, and images using these great articles from one year ago.

• How to Rip a DVD to your Hard Drive and Play it on your PC
• Rip Audio CDs in Linux with Sound Juicer
• How to Batch Edit Photos with Phatch
• Create Advanced Panoramas with Microsoft Image Composite Editor
• Create Panoramic Photos with Windows Live Photo Gallery