Wires Crossed #73 – March 2

Insidious Apple Bug Steals Passwords
Apple prides itself on being a security-conscious company when it comes to malware infections on its operating system platforms across a range of products. For example, one of their main planks when spruiking their apps for the iPhone and iPad is that there is no risk of infection because they are rigorously tested before being made available  on the app store. Yet that still hasn’t stopped cybercrims from trying to steal passwords via a new Trojan that is aimed specifically at Mac users.  It uses three separate methods to try and get into the computer including using a fake security certificate. While this may be a little unsettling for users, the number of attacks Apple operating systems are still miniscule when compared to their Windows and  Android counterparts.

Ranting Ex Given Choice Of Facebook Or Jail
Mark Byron decided to have a rant at his estranged wife on his Facebook page over visitation rights to his son, when she saw the piece and filed legal action. What happened next was not only surprising, but some would say downright weird. The judge in the case demanded that Byron post an apology on his Facebook page every day for 30 days or face 60 days in the slammer. We would love to know all the ins and outs of the case, because we also know that in some cases first-time thieves and burglars get a fine or community service. But a rant on a personal Facebook page – one that his wife was blocked from – could have earned him two months inside? As we said, weird.

Twitter Founder Warns Over Excessive Tweeting
Christopher Stone, one of the founders of Twitter, says using the micro-blogging site too much is not a good thing. At a recent conference in Montreal Stone made his comments after being told that some people find the site addictive and can spend over half the day reading or tweeting. He believes too much of a good thing is not best for you, so advises moderation.  Bear that in mind next time to spend a 10 hour tear on your Twitter account – even the founder knows when enough is enough.

Wii Not Good For Exercise
A study by the Baylor College of Medicine claims that children using active Wii games – such as Wii Sports and Dance Dance Revolution – get just as much exercise as those who play non-active games. On the surface the 13-week study looks solid enough in that these overweight kids didn’t appear to do any more exercise when playing the fitness games. But even the people taking the study admit that there could be other reasons why there is no difference because it also took into account exercise throughout the day. Also, there was no mention of diet, or how vigorous the kids who had the non-active games were playing. Seems pretty unscientific to us.

Brought to you by CyberShack.com.au