Practical Technology

for practical people.

January 24, 2013
by sjvn01
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Big bugs, big bucks: Pwn2Own awards reach half a million

Web-browser developers like to talk the talk about being more secure. But it’s at the CanSecWest security conference that they have to walk the walk as hackers compete for over half-a-million dollars in cash and prizes during the HP Zero Day Initiative’s (ZDI) annual Pwn2Own competition.

In previous years, Pwn2Own competitors fought to break into Web browsers. For the first time, hackers will also be tackling browser plug-in vulnerabilities as well.

According to Brian Gorenc, the manager of the Zero Day Initiative (ZDI) at HP DVLabs, “Over the last several years, we have seen browser plug-in vulnerabilities become increasingly popular in exploit kits and malware. These vulnerabilities affect a large percentage of the Internet community and are quickly weaponized by attackers. That being said, we are not forgetting about the browser, as we will again be focusing on finding, demonstrating, and responsibly disclosing vulnerabilities in all the popular web browsers.”

Big bugs, big bucks: Pwn2Own awards reach half a million. More >

January 24, 2013
by sjvn01
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OpenSUSE also considers switching from MySQL to MariaDB

MySQL may still be the “most popular open-source database” for now, but its day may be ending. Just like Fedora, which is considering switching out MySQL for the MySQL fork MariaDB, openSUSE is also considering making MariaDB its default database management system (DBMS).

Fedora’s change to MariaDB looks to be more certain than openSUSE‘s (SUSE‘s community Linux) potential move. In Fedora’s case, the shift is being suggested by Jaroslav Reznik, Red Hat’s Fedora project manager, and there seems to be no opposition.

At openSUSE, though, the move is being proposed by Michal Hrušecký, an openSUSE developer, rather than a SUSE official. His arguments for MariaDB are similar to Reznik’s. Hrušecký wrote, “Originally I was sticking to Oracle’s MySQL as a default to keep it conservative and stable, but over the years MariaDB proved to be stable and lately they were even faster in fixing some security issues.”

OpenSUSE also considers switching from MySQL to MariaDB. More >

January 22, 2013
by sjvn01
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Fedora Linux considering switching out MySQL for MariaDB

MariaDB, the open-source database management system (DBMS) and MySQL fork, may soon be replacing MySQL in the Fedora Linux distribution. Since Fedora is also the testbed for Red Hat‘s market-leading Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), this move may lead to major changes in the Linux DBMS world.

Jaroslav Reznik, who is Red Hat’s Fedora project manager, proposed the change. Reznik explained that he was suggesting this move because, “The original company behind MySQL, MySQL AB, were bought out by Sun which was then bought by Oracle. Recent changes made by Oracle indicate they are moving the MySQL project to be more closed. They are no longer publishing any useful information about security issues (CVEs), and they are not providing complete regression tests any more, and a very large fraction of the mysql bug database is now not public.”

Red Hat and Oracle have also long been squabbling on other grounds. Oracle’s house-brand of Linux, Oracle Linux, is little more than a RHEL clone.

Fedora Linux considering switching out MySQL for MariaDB. More >

January 22, 2013
by sjvn01
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Red Hat expands cloud management services

Today, anyone can set up a cloud. Managing it, though, that’s another story. So, it came as no surprise last year when Linux-giant Red Hat announced updates to its open hybrid cloud solutions portfolio following the acquisition of ManageIQ, a leading provider of enterprise cloud management and automation solutions.

Red Hat expands cloud management services. More >

January 21, 2013
by sjvn01
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Review: What to expect from Mega’s free 50GB of cloud storage

Who wouldn’t want 50GB of free Internet storage? Dropbox is all fine and well, but it starts with a mere 2GB of free space. Kim Dotcom’s newly launched Mega cloud storage service with its free 50GB of storage sounds much better, but how well does it really work? Let me open by saying it’s a long, long way from perfect.

To get your free 50GBs of storage, you first must register your account with a valid e-mail address. Once you’ve done this — and it may take a while, since the system is heavily over-burdened — you’ll get a link to use to log in to Mega.

You can use any Web browser to access your new storage so long as its actively supporting JavaScript. Mega recommends Chrome, but I was also able to use it with Firefox. However, Internet Explorer 10, Windows 8’s default browser, is known to freeze up after uploading approximately 100MB of files.

Review: What to expect from Mega’s free 50GB of cloud storage. More >

January 14, 2013
by sjvn01
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Vendors just can’t stop trying to lock us all in

What do Apple’s iOS, Microsoft’s Windows 8 and Google’s Android all have in common? None of them works that well without the Internet. This trend has been developing for years and is now accelerating.

Don’t get me wrong. I love the Internet and I like operating systems, such as Google Chrome OS, that require it. But I like having true platform choice even more. I was there for the PC revolution of the ’70s and ’80s, and I well remember how it undermined the ability of the IT department to control every last bit and byte. I don’t want to go back to the days when users had no control — but I’m afraid that’s exactly what’s happening.

Today, it’s the big vendors that are taking control. Using an iPhone or iPad locks you into the Apple ecosystem. Want to use Adobe Flash? Too bad. Steve Jobs decided he didn’t want you to have it, and that was that.

It’s not much different with other technology choices. From time to time, things might happen that give the impression that everyone is trying to get along. Google, for instance, has got its maps working on iOS devices again, something that also required the goodwill of the keepers of the Apple App Store. Meanwhile, though, Google has decided to pull the rug out from underneath Microsoft.

Vendors just can’t stop trying to lock us all in