A Word to the Wise

The Book on Mitnick Is by Mitnick. The social-engineering hacker whose name is synonymous with computer fraud has a new book and a nearly new lease on life. By Michelle Delio. [Wired News]

Looks like one for the reading list.  Mitnick apparently describes the importance of the "human factor" in security.  According to the review, he gives multiple examples of how human beings' best instincts can be manipulated so that they will reveal sensitive information, and also explains how having the common sense to say "no" to strangers can prevent many security breaches.

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Fighting Net Censorship Abroad. Congress considers spending $100 million to battle Internet controls in authoritarian regimes. By Mitch Wagner. [Wired News]

Now if only Congress were more concerned about fighting it at home.

Microsoft Reports Progress in Averting Computer Crashes [New York Times: Technology] Hey, what more can you add to this? [grin] [[ t e c h n o c u l t u r e ]]  

What the story doesn't mention is that Microsoft's error reporting software is a technique borrowed from the "open source" community that Microsoft so reviles.

MediaGuardian.co.uk | Special reports | Journalist to appeal against war crimes tribunal ruling

Jonathan Randel is challenging a decision by the International Criminal Tribunal that he must give evidence in the trial of former Serbian minister Radoslav Brdjanin, who is charged with the genocide of hundreds of Croats and Muslims during the 1992-1995 Bosnian conflict.

Rightly so.

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