“School administrators in Framingham MA have implemented a policy allowing them to not only confiscate cell phones, but also to search through students’ cell phone data as part of their anti drug/violence efforts. Students claim that the policy is an invasion of their privacy.”
Source: Slashdot - School Admins Demand Access to Students’ Cellphones
The extradition of “Pentagon hacker” Gary McKinnon has been approved by Home Sectretary John Reid.
He is accused of causing more than $700,000 of damage to federal computer systems used by the Department of Defense. McKinnon now has 14 days from July 4 to appeal appeal the decision, which was a rubber stamping of a district judge ruling in May.
A Home Office spokesman told the BBC: “Mr McKinnon had exercised his right to submit representations against return but the secretary of state did not consider the issues raised availed Mr McKinnon.”
He was arrested by the UK’s National Hi-Tech Crime Unit in 2002.
Glasgow-born McKinnon has said he broke into the networks to look for evidence of a cover-up of extraterrestrial technology. His lawyers have claimed the US could imprison McKinnon at Guantanamo Bay for terrorism.
Source: TheRegister
HD DVD movies can be copied, and all it takes is the presses of a single button on any PC’s keyboard. Well, lots of presses. Lots and lots of presses. Lots and lots and lots of presses.
Yes, keep hitting that Print Screen button and, according to Germany’s c’t magazine, one the movie’s finished playing, you’ll have enough screen grabs to reconstruct the film - illegally of course - in all its high resolution glory.
And in case you think Blu-ray is any safer - the c’t guys tried the same technqiue out on a Sony Vaio fitted with a BD drive. The HD DVD unit was in a Toshiba Qosmio G30. Both computers were running bundled copies of WinDVD.
That said, it’s a tiresome way to copy a movie, much like photocopying a book page by page. But c’t warns it’s possible to automate all that furious Print Screen pressing. Until, of course, Intervideo patches WinDVD.
Source: TheRegister
BT’s Bluebell Hill exchange in Chatham, Kent, caught fire on Wednesday, putting 20,000 lines in jeopardy.
The blaze began at around 11am and caused extensive damage to the power room, though the actual telecoms gear escaped relatively unscathed. When the mains was lost, back-up generators quickly cut-in, but were themselves consumed by the flames.
Battery power waned through the afternoon, and phone and broadband punters using the exchange gradually lost service. Engineers were able to assess the damage once fire chiefs declared the building safe several hours later. A mobile diesel generator was shipped in and lines were juiced back up early on Thursday.
Techies continue to monitor Bluebell Hill for “wrinkles” in the network. BT is still counting the cost of the fire, and cannot say when a permanent power supply will be restored.
Investigations by BT, its electricity supplier EDF and the fire brigade are ongoing. A spokesman for BT told The Reg there is no indication of suspicious circumstances at this stage.
Chatham is, of course, famed as the mothership for the so-called “chav phenomenon”, whereby everyone has a good laugh at poor people for swearing, pushing prams, wearing hoodies and driving souped-up Vauxhall Novae.
Source : TheRegister
London 2600 meet on the first Friday of each month, 6.30pm to 7.30pm initially, at the bottom of the escalators inside the central core of the Trocadero shopping centre, then on elsewhere. There is an underground passageway directly from Piccadilly Circus Tube station.
Given the heavy handed Police searches of rucksacks etc, involving (innocent !) London 2600 attendees, following the recent suicide bomb attacks in London, please take the appropriate precautions with any items, especially those with batteries and wires, that you may wish to bring along to the meetings.
N.B. today is the anniversary of the London terrorist bombings, and there will be lots of extra armed Police on duty who will be pretending to be guarding our security by harassing innocent people with their stop and search and arrest powers.
For further information please refer to http://london2600.org.uk/
“eBay has added Google Checkout to the list of payment options banned on eBay. A recent update to the Accepted Payments Policy includes Google Checkout (click on ‘Show’ next to ‘Some Examples’ to reveal the list). More comments on this action can be found at the eBay Strategies Blog.”
The Manchester 2600 meet takes place on the first friday of every month. It is aimed at everybody with an interest in computer security, telephony, hacking, phone phreaking, cryptography, internet security/privacy issues and related subjects.
People from all walks of life are welcome, from both the ‘white hat’ and ‘black hat’ sides of the computer security world (you might be surprised at some of the people who have turned up in the past). You don’t have to be an ‘expert’ at anything to fit in; however, there are always people about with some expertise in most of the areas mentioned. It’s sometimes surprising what information you can pick up for the price of a few beers :)
The Manchester meet tends to be a little different from the other UK 2600 meets; while there is always lively discussion of the above subjects, the meet always moves to a pub for the evening, and frequently a club afterwards.
Regular attendees of the manchester meets also occasionally organise other events, such as conferences, parties etc.
Meeting point: Due to the closure of Cyberia we are now meeting in ‘The Green Room’ bar on Whitworth Street West, opposite the Ritz. We are usually sat upstairs on the balcony. This is round the corner from Oxford Road Station.
In the event that the Green room is closed we meet in the Corner House Bar.
Please Email man2600.org.uk for a contact number
for use on the night if you envisage problems finding
us.
Time: 7:30 p.m. Onwards
Next meet: Fri 7th July 2006
Email man2600.org.uk For Further Information
The 2600 meet is free, always fun, and most of the people are friendly so why not check it out…
TheRegister is running an article on a new protection method for mobile phones. The aptly named “skins” protect your mobile from mudd, blood, sweat and goo - perfect for painters, decorators and those of you who cant go swimming without your beloved mobile phone.
As well as some very enticing desktop wallpapers, more details can be found at www.skins-mobile.com
Slashdot is reporting on a new system of landmines that will communicate via a radio network in order to reform the minefield in order to be more effective.
Termed the “self-healing minefield”, the individual mines are capable of detecting an enemy breach and then moving to seal the gap.
It’s time for another Brighton 2600 meeting on Friday 7th July If
anyone is interested, here’s the details:
Meet at the phone boxes by the Sealife centre (across the road from the
Palace Pier) between 19:00 and 19:15 *BST*, then on to Buddies Cafe.
It’s worth noting that ‘our’ phone box (the westmost) is now a cash
machine, making hanging around there just a touch more challenging…)