dexter

New 'Dexter' malware strikes point-of-sale systems

Retailer point-of-sale systems may be at risk of malware that steals credit card data.

Israel-based security firm Seculert has identified a strain of malware, dubbed Dexter, which it asserts has infected hundreds of point-of-sale (POS) systems across 40 countries in the past two to three months. English-speaking countries appear to be a prime target, with 30 percent of infections in the U.S., 19 percent in the U.K., and 9 percent in Canada.

Rather than targeting thousands of individual machines through traditional Trojans or phishing emails, the custom-made malware targets specific POS systems. The malware injects itself into the … Read more

Netflix streaming may lose some Showtime programs

At a time when many in Hollywood see Netflix as a threat, Showtime Networks said it will significantly alter the licensing agreement it has for Netflix's streaming-video service.

This summer, when the current deal between Showtime and Netflix expires, Netflix's new streaming agreement doesn't include any rights to any of the first-run series that currently appear on the premium-cable service. Under the new deal, Netflix subscribers will lose access to such shows as "Californication and "Dexter." (Showtime is owned by CBS, parent company of CNET.)

While past seasons of "Dexter" will be … Read more

Touring the high-tech 2010 Showtime House

For the past several years, cable channel Showtime has been putting together an annual showcase for its original programming called the Showtime House. Different interior designers are called in to create rooms themed around shows such as Dexter and Weeds, and the entire thing is built into several floors of an NYC building (this year's version was at the newly open Cassa hotel and residences in midtown Manhattan).

As Showtime is our corporate cousin in the extended CBS family, several CNET editors visited the location during construction and made themselves available to consult with the designers on their technology questions. The end result was that the Showtime House was packed with cool high-tech gadgets, from 3D televisions to video games to Dyson's bladeless Air Multiplier fan. … Read more

When TiVoing the Oscars, Twitter is not your friend

If I can tell you one thing about trying to TiVo Sunday night's Oscars, it's that being online during the ceremonies was definitely not a safe place to be.

This is the era of time-shifting, and I like to take full advantage of the fact that I can set my DVR to record something like the Oscars and then sit down later on and watch it at my leisure and yet still be surprised by what happens.

But just as the show was beginning, I switched over to TweetDeck to check something out on Twitter and was horrified … Read more

The 404 143: Where it's talking to you

Per usual, we push the envelope in the preshow today and it starts to leak into the beginning of today's episode, but we quickly (maybe not so quickly) seal it up and get into our story rundown. We criticize our sue-happy country and its propensity for stupid T-shirts, speak to the potential power of iPhone gaming, introduce a new S&M Barbie doll (therapy not included), and snap our way through this year's Emmy nominees. EPISODE 143 Download today's podcast

JazzMutant's multitouch music controller

Before Apple came along and integrated multitouch-screen technology into the iPhone, one of the first companies to weave multitouch into a commercial product was a boutique music controller company named JazzMutant. Their first product, the Lemur, was an extremely niche (and pricey) product that allowed musicians to use the Lemur's suite of touch-screen tools to play and tweak their music. You know its cool if Bjork takes it out on tour.

Dexter, JazzMutant's latest product, promises to bring multitouch technology to a wider audience. Released just a few days ago, Dexter is aimed at recording studio engineers and … Read more