Millions of vets' necks were laid on the chopping block on the third of May, when a hard disk containing their Social Security numbers was stolen from a VA employee's home. Over the next two weeks, a dozen officials of

A security hacker is unleashing an exploit every day this month. HD Moore claims he's doing it to highlight the fecklessness of browser security, but admits that he also wants to draw attention to his new blog. While both might

Since a contractor used an FBI agent's password and ancient off-the-web utilities to repeatedly crack the Bureau's network, people are starting to ask questions. Problem is, they're the wrong questions. After blowing $581 million on its failed Trilogy IT boondoggle,

Microsoft's new push into anti-virus, anti-spyware and security looks great on paper. But many are wondering how it will play out in the trenches. After auditing anti-virus offerings in one Midwestern metro area, Email Battles found that Symantec dominates display

Too often, excellent communicators publish newsfeeds so dumb that they drive readers away. If RSS or Atom feeds are part of your mix, you may want to see how many barriers you've inadvertently built to block loyal subscribers.

The admins at Microsoft IT make their anti-spam strategy brutally clear: They depend, first and foremost, on the anti-spam technique most riddled with inaccuracies, failures and outright corruption: blocklisting. Email Battles compares Microsoft's first-contact blocklisting technique with first-contact deferral. While

It's back in custody. The stolen laptop containing the names and Social Security numbers of 26.5 million veterans and active duty personnel has been turned over to the FBI. Conflicting news reports claim a guy (or a gal) brokered the

Most folks don't know that the zombie capital of the world isn't China or the USA. It's the European Union, by a long shot. The secret has been kept by well-meaning reporters who are living in the past, preserving each

Self-installing programs can be nice, when you invoke them by choice. But researchers have found thousands of viruses that execute after you innocently click a promising search link. Outraged users are demanding that Google, MSN and Yahoo do something about

The ink hadn't yet dried on IBM's announcement of Lotus Notes on Linux, before anti-Lotus partisans unleashed their venom. Few gave weight to the thought that desktop Linux has suddenly gained collaboration abilities acceptable to enterprise-level buyers. But like it

If you receive a message from IH Mississippi Valley Credit Union, offering $80 to participate in a survey, delete it.

Warning: If iPod-in-the-toilet stories make you blow chunks, exit this post now. Here's the short version... World of Warcraft guy unknowingly deposits iPod in jet's toilet when he drops his pants, triggering a terror alert, which forces a quick landing,

Security researchers have identified performance problems with a recent wireless driver security update from Intel. Vulnerabilities in Centrino device drivers for Windows and Intel's PROSet management software prompted a security update three weeks ago. The initial update weighed in at

Remember Apple's counter-suit after Creative Technology filed against Jobs & Company for stomping on its patents? Sounds like Apple's charges were bogus. Jobs now grumbles that CT was lucky, because it got there first. He's shelling out US$100 million to

Think you're protected by credit bureau fraud alerts? Think again. A recent study found that credit reporting agencies fumble the ball 40% of the time... and that's at the simplest level, where agencies turn on the fraud alert. Credit bureaus

Production Notes: I've always hated posts like, "I'm off for vacation," but sometimes it's unavoidable. Explanations are in order. Email Battles will be off the air Thursday, 24 July 2006, from 3am to no later than 6am. New routers and