Tibet

Security company Kaspersky Labs has intercepted a new variant of the Tibet malware for OS X, which is being distributed to specific Uyghur activist groups as part of a seemingly politically motivated APT (advanced persistent threat) attack.

The malware is being distributed in e-mails to certain Uyghur Mac users, and is contained within a ZIP file called "matiriyal.zip." If this file is opened it will reveal an image file and a text file that is a disguised OS X application that if run will install the malware. Once installed, the malware will connect to a command-and-control server … Read more

One recent malware program for OS X that has caused concern has been the Flashback Trojan, which in its latest variants has taken advantage of Java security holes to embed code in programs or user accounts that will launch the malware when Web browsers are used. Once run, the malware tries taking screenshots and otherwise collect information to upload to remote servers.

Apparently the Java exploit used in this malware is catching on, and other malware have been developing that uses the same route of attack. Recently Intego reported on a new Trojan horse called Tibet.A (in its first … Read more

Suntech Power, the China-based solar manufacturing giant, plans to build a 10-megawatt plant in Tibet.

The plant will be located in the Tibetan village of Chek Kang, which is located in Sangri County, Shannan Prefecture, Suntech announced yesterday.

Last month, the Chinese government announced it was building a 10-megawatt solar plant in Shigatse, Tibet's second largest city, which is also home to the huge Tashilhunpo Monastery built in the 15th century.

Suntech will not only provide the solar photovoltaics for the Chek Kang project but also oversee its engineering and construction, a Suntech representative said in an e-mail.

The … Read more

Millions of sports fans gathered around the TV yesterday to watch the "Big Game," and it's hard to believe that another Puppy Bowl has come and gone. Just kidding, if there's one thing we learned from Super Bowl XLV, it's that brand endorsements are ruining the illusion for celebrities like Eminem and Kim Kardashian who would have us believe that they drive Chrysler minivans and wear Skechers Shapeups.

We're wrapping up the winners and losers of the Super Bowl on today's episode of The 404 Podcast, and the winner for lowest blow is a tie between Groupon and Christina Aguilera.

Groupon took a page from Kenneth Cole PR (context) and pulled a "too soon" with an ad exploiting the tragedy in Tibet, while Christina Aguilera changed the lyrics to the National Anthem into a song about vampires squeezing juice from citrus fruits.

I'll leave it to Jeff to do his own reaming on the Black Eyed Peas half-time show before we move onto the most important part of the game: the commercials!

We all agree that for better or worse, this year's commercials stood out from years past, and our favorites include Volkswagen's Darth Vader spoof, Chevy's Camaro ad featuring Bumblebee from the "Transformers," and Doritos and Bud Light touched our hearts with animals doing human things.

There were also a ton of movie trailers that blew up our skirt, so tune into today's show to hear more of our thoughts on "Super 8," "Captain America," the Lingerie Bowl, and Angry Birds in real life!

China is coming under scrutiny as the possible source of malicious software and Internet attacks directed at foreign governments and other institutions.

A pair of recent research reports have cast some light on shadowy online initiatives with roots in China. Completed separately, both reports--"Tracking GhostNet," from the Munk Centre for International Studies in Toronto, and "The snooping dragon," from the University of Cambridge Computer Laboratory--address the Chinese government's efforts to monitor the activities of the Dalai Lama and the governing of Tibet.

Asked about the reports, analysts in China say that such claims are … Read more

The iTunes Store was blocked in China two weeks after an album released by Tibet activists appeared, but after the Olympics Games concluded, it was available once again.

Silicon Hutong has written a concise summary of what happened:

- The album was featured on the front page of the site - a choice I would wager was made by Apple, not by the activist organization that produced the album;

- The album went live in the days leading up to the Olympics;

- Pro-Tibetan activists have been attempting to leverage Beijing's hosting of the Olympics to draw attention to … Read more

An album supporting Tibetan freedom may have led China's government to sever access to Apple's iTunes Store.

This week, Chinese users of iTunes have found themselves unable to access the online store, something that Apple acknowledged but would not say whether it was a technical glitch or a move on the part of the censors.

"We are aware of the log-on problems but we have no comment at the moment," the company told the Associated Press.

The incident comes amid the 2008 Olympics, when all eyes are on China--a country well known for its censorship.

Songs … Read more

Veronica's back with us today as we record from the New Media Expo in Las Vegas. We talk about the woes of the modern Web, and specifically Netflix's problems on the back-end. Also there's some news about Windows 7, or at least news about when more news will be coming. And thankfully the IOC backed down on the DMCA takedown notice. That and some more hilarious e-mails.

Netflix may lose $1.8M to $3.6M in revenue per day over outage http://blogs.zdnet.com/BTL/?p=9676

10 … Read more

Congress learns all about cookies (not the delicious kind...but maybe the del.icio.us kind), Gmail goes down, and Google proves to be a terrible communicator. Also, the Amazon Kindle may take off after all (har har), and Twitter baffles us completely regarding its follow/follower spam prevention thing. In sum, it's a Tuesday, but it feels like a Monday.

Google apologizes for Gmail outage http://www.crn.com/software/210002714

PC World: Google Apps hit by prolonged Gmail access problem http://www.pcworld.com/article/149524/

Android may be … Read more