Russia’s Information Technologies and Communications Minister, Leonid Reiman, has stated that Russia has no intention of putting into place any sort of anti-spam law. Reiman was quoted as saying “I am against any kinds of filters and a special regime on the Internet. The web is developing rapidly and our…

Australian Internet device and software maker Exinda, Inc. has developed a system which allows employers to snoop on the online browsing habits of their employees. Said Con Nikolouzakis, Director of Exinda, “If you use your office computer for Internet banking and booking theater tickets, you’re fine. If you choose to…

Security company Sophos is reporting that the new spam-engine worm, Bobax.H, is enticing Windows users to open (and thus unleash) it by offering what it alleges to be pictures of a dead Saddam Hussein, supposedly killed during an escape attempt. Targetting computers running Windows, Bobax.H is one of those breeds…

The next time you are tempted to borrow someone’s copy of their favourite software, take note: software developers, sick of having their software pirated, are starting to boobytrap it. That’s right. In an interesting twist, it is being reported that Anton Tomov, author of, among other things, Pocket Mechanic for…

From Across the Pond, courtesy of Chris Hunter over at Spamfo: A new trojan compromises machines with the intention of using them for spamming directly to recipients, but this time sends spam upstream to the ISP. What are now known as zombies have been around for a long time in…

Those of you who have been playing along at home may be aware that Microsoft was called on the carpet in Europe on unfair competition charges. The claim was that by bundling Windows Media Player with Windows XP, Microsoft was gaining an unfair advantage over competing media players, such as…

The original makers of spam – and Aunty does mean the meat..well, alleged meat product – Hormel, have lost a trademark law suit against anti-spam software company “Spambuster”. This particular legal case adds several insults to the injury for Hormel. To start with, it is a decision from the hallowed…

A New Jersey appeals court has ruled that the operators of online forums are notresponsible for remarks made by users of their forums, even if those remarks rise to the level of defamation. The case centered around the “Eye on Emerson” website, which purported to keep its eye on the…

Ohio Governor Bob Taft signed into law a new, tougher anti-spam law for Ohio this week. The new law makes illegal the sending of as little as five pieces of email where the origin of the email is either altered or hidden. And if the amount of such email sent…

Verizon Online is being sued by their subscribers for blocking incoming email from entire countries.

From Across the Pond, courtesy of Chris Hunter over at Spamfo: An article reports how a user who made a tsunami relief donation using lynx on Solaris was arrested due to the event being ‘unusual’ with the site operator deeming this a potential hack attempt. “For donating to a Tsunami…

Consider it Netscape’s valentine to the world. Netscape, now a division of Time Warner, which in turn is a subsidiary of America Online, will be releasing a beta version of its new Netscape 8 on Thursday, February 17th (so mark your calendars!) Netscape 8 is touted as having, among other…

The Windows Genuine Advantage Program (WGA) is a way for the Microsoft bouncer to check your Windows’ I.D. at the door.

It’s one of those stories which one would think that only Kafka could dream up, if it weren’t for the fact that the story is true. Charles Booher was a friendly, unassuming Silicon Valley engineer – like thousands of others in the Valley. However he gained distinction – some would…

Two men headquartered in Florida who were selling fake Viagra and other bogus prescription drugs online, and spamming on the “pharmacy’s” behalf, have copped a plea and could get as much as 20 years in prison for their actions. It is alleged that Charles Naron and Stephen Lewis, both of…