Silicon Shecky: IT News, Opinions, and Reviews

Shecky Tweets for 2011-07-14

July 14, 2011 By Michael Kavka Leave a Comment

#Zeus for #Android steals one-time banking passwords – SC Magazine US http://t.co/KCTbq4V #
#Zuckerberg Quits Google+ Over #Privacy Concerns He said people will get used to less privacy http://rww.to/5BpjOz #FB #
Advanced Evasion Techniques allow stealthy perimeter attacks http://t.co/SzUCLFr #infosec #
Dear news websites, making borders around news stories on big ad is a big turn off. #FAIL #ZDNET #TECHREPUBLIC #
Apple loses 'app store' trademark, designs U.S. trademark law out of Macs, iPhones #
@SujaAndersen @Positron_CoH Sounds liek the voltage didn't get reset, the new RAM specs at a different voltage. Always check specs. in reply to ronnakein #
@chrisbrogan I have had no issues with Tweetdeck. It might be just Hootsuite. in reply to chrisbrogan #
@chrisbrogan I use tweetdeck, and am having NO issues. in reply to chrisbrogan #
@Enderle Optical Drives are still used for loading software. Serial Port allows Terminal connection directly to switches/routers for configs in reply to Enderle #
@Enderle True, but I still find the optical drive extremely usefull, if for nothing else than to play DVDs I have. in reply to Degalaga #
@Enderle Also, Open vloume License software (and my action pack software) all has to be unpacked from ISO to install. Burn to disk. in reply to Degalaga #
@Enderle Not enough of a selection on the streaming for me yet. New stuff has digital copies, but older stuff I still use the DVDs for. in reply to Enderle #
@Enderle Lots are, and I have nothing against it, I haven't had much use for it. Prefer disks for my TV system. in reply to Enderle #
US and Russia "reset" their cybersecurity relationship http://t.co/tQJXnxl via @arstechnica #infosec #

Facbook Video Chat

July 12, 2011 By Michael Kavka Leave a Comment

Last week Facebook announced a new video chat powered by Skype. The question is, what does this mean for privacy?

Facebooks announcement last week of now having the ability to have video chats with friends was a big announcement. It meant that Facebook was doing something other chat systems have had for years. The partnership with Microsoft/Skype (that deal is still pending approval), is logical. The problems that Facebook can face though, have me wary of it.

First off, Facebook doesn’t enforce its own TOS, which has an age limit. We already have heard about cyber bullying cases. The video chat can take this to a new level. What about people pretending to be your children’s age, but really being pedophiles? This now takes on a different issue. There are 2 other things though that bother me about this.

First, encryption of calls. I haven’t had a full chance to play with the system, but nowhere have I seen any mention that the calls will be encrypted. Skype itself uses encryption on the client end, but Skype also is a P2P system, so the encryption happens at a person’s machine. Facebook looks to be a server solution, so are these call being encrypted, or can someone easily look in on them? I know some people are looking into this aspect.

The other troublesome part to me is a patent that Microsoft has from 2009 to silently record calls over a network. With the pending acquisition of Skype, it can be very easy for Microsoft to toss this technology in Skype, and the Facebook chat. think of it, your calls, your video, your “private” conversations, recorded without your consent, without your knowledge, and possibly without a warrant. This is not to say that they will, but the opportunity is there. Not only that, but think of Facebook’s stance on privacy. They have already said that they don’t care about it. People will get used to not having privacy. Imagine the information they can get from your phone calls.

I am not saying that these scenarios will happen, but they are possibilities. Some more likely than others, but they all must be taken into consideration.

Shecky Tweets for 2011-07-12

July 12, 2011 By Michael Kavka Leave a Comment

What do #Google execs know about Google+ privacy that you don't? http://zd.net/mYLYYR @edbott #
Waiting to see if I can watch the Keynote from #WPC2011 Stupid site doesn't like me so far. #
Waiting on Keynote for #WPC2011 to start. #
Ok so Roskam has been trying to get people excited at #wpc11 so far I'm not impressed. #
Well, @jon_roskill jsut made a claim of Microsoft being a leader in a bunch of tech that they were late to the table for. #wpc11 #
Ok, #Jon_Roskill reminded me of a Car Salesman. Lots of talk, no real info. #wpc11 #
I'm a partner and am not pushing the Cloud. Most of my clients don't have the bandwith for The Cloud. #wpc11 #
@msPartner Give me affordable bandwith solutions for SMBs and The Cloud would take off. in reply to Rosdhe #
Tha amjority of statics are made up or can be shown wrong with a different look from a different company. #wpc11 #
Bing demo time. Stefan looks like Huge Grant. #wpc11 #
Bing is intergrate with #FB now. #