Think you're having a bad day?
How about this guy... he comes to the scene of an accident and tries to manoeuvre around the police vehicles by using the shoulder of the road, and promptly rolls his vehicle into a deep ditch full of water. Police and paramedics on the scene now have to rescue HIM.
As if that's not bad enough, police determine him to be drunk, and he's arrested. Read the full story here.
I'm not an exciting person, but anything that crosses my mind that I care to share with the rest of the world will appear here.
Wednesday, December 25, 2013
Monday, December 09, 2013
Do you hear what I hear?
Do you hear what I hear?
'Tis the season, as they say. So, as I'm reading the latest computer security news, I come across a truly scary article... apparently, you no longer have to be connected to the internet or any computer network to become infected with a computer virus! If your computer has a microphone and speakers, it's at risk!
The full story is here, but let me summarize in simpler language...
Security researchers have adapted a system used for underwater communication between computers that will allow a malicious computer to send inaudible commands through its speaker to a target computer up to 65 feet away.
The target computer (which doesn't need to be connected to the internet) receives the sounds through its microphone and becomes infected over time - kind of like death by a thousand cuts.
The amount of data that can be transferred during each "transmission" is miniscule (maybe the equivalent of two keystrokes per second). But, since nobody can hear the transmission and is not trying to protect the computer from such an attack (after all, the computer isn't even on the internet), these transmissions can go on for hours, days, weeks, or longer without detection. Over that period of time, a relatively large and complex program could be sent from the "bad" computer to the target computer. Once infected, the target computer could be instructed to transmit information back to the "bad" computer - information like secret files, or login credentials.
Before you panic and place your stand-alone computer under Maxwell Smart's "cone of silence", you should understand that this type of attack only makes sense when applied against a very high value target - so you won't have to worry about someone stealing your grandma's secret recipes just yet!
'Tis the season, as they say. So, as I'm reading the latest computer security news, I come across a truly scary article... apparently, you no longer have to be connected to the internet or any computer network to become infected with a computer virus! If your computer has a microphone and speakers, it's at risk!
The full story is here, but let me summarize in simpler language...
Security researchers have adapted a system used for underwater communication between computers that will allow a malicious computer to send inaudible commands through its speaker to a target computer up to 65 feet away.
The target computer (which doesn't need to be connected to the internet) receives the sounds through its microphone and becomes infected over time - kind of like death by a thousand cuts.
The amount of data that can be transferred during each "transmission" is miniscule (maybe the equivalent of two keystrokes per second). But, since nobody can hear the transmission and is not trying to protect the computer from such an attack (after all, the computer isn't even on the internet), these transmissions can go on for hours, days, weeks, or longer without detection. Over that period of time, a relatively large and complex program could be sent from the "bad" computer to the target computer. Once infected, the target computer could be instructed to transmit information back to the "bad" computer - information like secret files, or login credentials.
Before you panic and place your stand-alone computer under Maxwell Smart's "cone of silence", you should understand that this type of attack only makes sense when applied against a very high value target - so you won't have to worry about someone stealing your grandma's secret recipes just yet!
Saturday, December 07, 2013
Point, Counter-Point
Point, Counter-Point
My last post was uncharacteristically harsh, despite it being accurate. Today, I have a counter-point.
My friends and I had lunch at the Pomegranate Restaurant. We've eaten there before, and immediately upon entering, I was asked whether I wanted a diet cola.
The fountain drink was served in an unusually large glass (at least 20 oz. by my estimate). Part-way through the meal, with about 3 - 4 oz. or so still in the glass, the server removed it from the table to top it off.
The cheque at the end of the meal did not include a charge for the pop. I brought this to the server's attention, and she reassured me that it had been her intent not to charge. Knowing that refills are free at this restaurant, I still wanted to know what it would have cost, had I been billed. Her answer was $1.95.
She also added that soft drinks are normally served in a somewhat smaller glass, but she knew that I would be ordering several refills, so decided to start with a much larger glass to save her the time of refilling it multiple times.
Now, that's a smart policy, from a restaurant that continues to earn my admiration on every visit.
My last post was uncharacteristically harsh, despite it being accurate. Today, I have a counter-point.
My friends and I had lunch at the Pomegranate Restaurant. We've eaten there before, and immediately upon entering, I was asked whether I wanted a diet cola.
The fountain drink was served in an unusually large glass (at least 20 oz. by my estimate). Part-way through the meal, with about 3 - 4 oz. or so still in the glass, the server removed it from the table to top it off.
The cheque at the end of the meal did not include a charge for the pop. I brought this to the server's attention, and she reassured me that it had been her intent not to charge. Knowing that refills are free at this restaurant, I still wanted to know what it would have cost, had I been billed. Her answer was $1.95.
She also added that soft drinks are normally served in a somewhat smaller glass, but she knew that I would be ordering several refills, so decided to start with a much larger glass to save her the time of refilling it multiple times.
Now, that's a smart policy, from a restaurant that continues to earn my admiration on every visit.