The water cooling technology was built into IBM's 3D chips
Enlarge Image
A network of tiny pipes of water could be used to cool next-generation PC chips, researchers at IBM have said.
Scientists at the firm have shown off a prototype device layered with thousands of "hair-width" cooling arteries.
They believe it could be a solution to the increasing amount of heat pumped out by chips as they become smaller and more densely packed with components.
The technology was demonstrated in IBM's 3D chips, where circuits are stacked one on top of the other.
Laying chips vertically, instead of side by side, reduces the distance data has to travel , enhancing performance and saving critical space.
"As we package chips on top of each other....we have found that conventional coolers attached to the back of a chip don't scale," explained Thomas Brunschwiler at IBM's Zurich Research Laboratory.
"In order to exploit the potential of high-performance 3D chip stacking, we need interlayer cooling."
Cool running
Heat is seen as one of the major hurdles of producing ever smaller and quicker chips.
3D chip
It took IBM a decade to work out how to build 3D chips
It is the by-product of the movement of electrons through the tiny wires connecting the millions of components on a modern processor.
As more and more components are packed on to chips - Intel recently launched a processor with two billion transistors, for example - the problems become worse.
As a result, researchers around the world are engaged in a search for the most efficient way to take the heat off the chip industry.
For example, in 2007, US researchers built tiny wind engines that created a "breeze" made up of charged particles, or ions, to cool computer chips.
But the problems are exacerbated in the multi-storey chips which IBM, as well as others, believe offer "one of the most promising approaches" for building future processors.
Each 4cm sq sandwich is just 1mm thick but pumps out close to 1kilowatt - 10 times that generated by a hotplate.
Conventional cooling techniques such as fans and heat sinks do not work as well with the 3D technology, particularly as heat has to be drawn away from between the individual chips.
To get around this, researchers piped water through sealed tubes just 50 microns (millionths of a metre) in diameter, between individual layers.
Water is much more efficient than air at absorbing heat and so even with tiny amounts of liquid flowing through the system the researchers saw a significant effect.
The idea of pumping liquids around computers is not entirely new. Early mainframe computers had water pumped around them.
High end computers have been "modded" for a number of years with water coolers and various researchers and companies have put forward proposals for directly cooling chips with fluids.
In 2003, Stanford University spin-out company Cooligy showed off its Active Micro-Channel Cooling (AMC) technology which allowed fluids to circulate through hundreds of tiny channels on the upper surface of a chip.
The technology was used in some versions of Apple's Power Mac G5 desktop computer, released in 2004.
IBM has said its water-cooling technology could be in products within five years.
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YOUTHSPROUTS
Today and Tomorrow is Ours
Friday, June 06, 2008
Friday, May 23, 2008
Sunday, May 04, 2008
FLASH ON MOBILE- ADOBE WAY
Adobe has announced a plan to try to get its Flash player installed on more mobile devices and set-top boxes.
Dubbed Open Screen the initiative lifts restrictions on how its multimedia handling software can be used.
Adobe will stop charging licencing fees for mobile versions of Flash and plans to publish information about the inner workings of the code.
In taking this step Adobe hopes to repeat on mobiles the success its Flash technology has enjoyed on the web.
Video deal
Adobe estimates that its Flash player is installed on more than 98% of net-connected desktop computers.
The Open Screen plan will build on Flash Lite - Adobe's version of its multimedia player designed for mobile gadgets - that is already on millions of handhelds.
The ultimate aim of Open Screen is to make it much easier for TV and film makers to send their content to mobiles and on other devices such as set-top boxes.
It aims to do this by creating one flexible player technology that can run on any small-form device but only demands that developers write code once for it.
At the moment trying to get games or video on to different devices can be frustrating because of the plethora of hardware and software quirks on each gadget.
Adobe's four-step plan involves ending license fees; removing restrictions on the use of files in SWF and FLV format; publishing detailed information about the program interfaces for its Flash player and opening up information about its Flash streaming technology.
The move is the latest in a series that are aiming to open up Flash and get more devleopers working with it.
It is also part of the larger plan for Adobe Air - an overarching code development system that aims to bridge the gap between web and desktop applications.
Adobe said it was working with Arm, SonyEricsson, Nokia, LG and other gadget makers on the Open Screen initiative as well as content partners such as the BBC, MTV and NBC.
Adobe faces competition from Microsoft which is trying to get Silverlight - its answer to Air - on to mobiles too.
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MICROSOFT ON SOFT SIDE TO YAHOO. AWAY FROM BID
Software giant Microsoft has dropped its three-month-old bid to buy internet firm Yahoo because the two sides cannot agree on an acceptable sale price.
Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer formally withdrew the offer in a letter to Yahoo chief executive Jerry Yang.
Mr Ballmer said Microsoft had raised its original offer from $44.6bn to $47.5bn (£24.1bn) - $33 per share.
But he added that Yahoo had insisted on at least $53bn, or $37 a share - more than Microsoft was prepared to pay.
The software giant had wanted to do a deal to be able to compete with Google, which dominates the lucrative market for internet advertising.
 |  Microsoft's new leadership will have to prove it can deliver a web offering that can ultimately substitute the profits generated by cash cows Windows and Office 
Tim Weber, Business editor, BBC News website 
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This market was worth $40bn in 2007 and is predicted to double to $80bn by 2010.
'Distraction'
In his letter to Mr Yang, which has been posted on the Microsoft website, Mr Ballmer said: "We continue to believe that our proposed acquisition made sense for Microsoft, Yahoo and the market as a whole.
"Despite our best efforts, including raising our bid by roughly $5bn, Yahoo has not moved toward accepting our offer.
"After careful consideration, we believe the economics demanded by Yahoo do not make sense for us, and it is in the best interests of Microsoft stockholders, employees and other stakeholders to withdraw our proposal."
Mr Ballmer also told Yahoo's boss that he would not pursue his original plan B of launching a hostile takeover battle, because Mr Yang would "take steps that would make Yahoo undesirable as an acquisition for Microsoft".
Mr Ballmer told his own employees that Microsoft could achieve its goals without Yahoo, albeit at a slower pace.
Yahoo maintained that Microsoft had offered too little to buy the company.
In a statement issued after Microsoft's withdrawal, Yahoo chairman Roy Bostock dismissed the unsolicited bid as a "distraction".
Microsoft's shares closed on Friday virtually unchanged at $29.24. Yahoo's shares were $1.85 higher at $28.67 amid expectations of a higher Microsoft offer.
The BBC's Peter Bowes says analysts believe the breakdown in talks may have an adverse affect on Yahoo shares and generate uncertainty among investors about the company's management.
Disappointment
Sir Martin Sorrell, the chief executive of advertising group WPP, said his clients would be disappointed that Microsoft had abandoned its bid for Yahoo.
"A combination of Microsoft and Yahoo would have provided balance to the online advertising market place," he told the BBC News website.
However, he said that Microsoft was a "resourceful and innovative company" and might still be able to provide a challenge to Google's market dominance.
RED CAR TO RED CARPET. A QUICK PIT START FROM MS
"Retirement" is a relative term when you're the fastest driver in the world. Since stepping back from his Formula One career, seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher has remained a high-profile celebrity, often despite his best attempts to stay out of the limelight. When he's not under investigation for commandeering a taxi or dedicating buildings, he's competing ad-hoc in motorcycle races and coaching his son on a developing racing career of his own. Reports now suggest that Hollywood is offering Schumi a film on his life and career.
According to reports, Schumacher himself could star in the film, while Bruce Willis has also been attached to the project to play race commentator Murray Walker. It wouldn't be Schumacher's first foray into film, following his cameos in kids' movies like Asterix and Pixar's Cars. Although Schumacher has yet to accept the offer, his longtime manager Willi Weber has confirmed that it's under consideration. If the project gets the green light, it could turn out to be the biggest racing film since Steve McQueen's Le Mans.
Friday, May 02, 2008
MENU MAKING IS LOT EASY FROM NOW.
Create more advanced, complex and exciting DHTML Menus with the press of a button by using the NEW “Multiple Rows and Columns” feature. added in the Group Style Editor’s <Type> property in AllWebMenus!
Examples:
Multiple Rows: 
Multiple Columns: 
Note: In this demonstration AllWebMenus DHTML Menu Maker version 5.1 build #734 was used.
The choice of AllWebMenus as your DHTML menu / JavaScript menu maker offers you the highest possible standards and qualifications
: - Powerful customization (hundreds of combinations) View examples of menus
- Cross-browser support
- Addins/extensions for popular html editors
(view entire list)
- All UNICODE languages/symbols fully supported (international menus) new!
- Floating Images - Use this feature as extra decoration for a special occasion (anniversary, holiday etc) or as a part of a theme
- Multiple Column/Row menus
- Use HTML code on selected menu items to achieve enhanced formatting or advanced functionality
- Database-driven or programmatically generated menus on server-side environments, such as PHP, JSP, ColdFusion, ASP, ASP.NET, etc. (Server-Side Menus API)
- Web menu Theme Packs and Templates
- SEO (search engine optimized) menu implementations
- Innovative User Interface - Simplicity and ease of use
- Continuous upgrades and company commitment, accurate customer support
View complete features list as well as examples of menus you can create with our DHTML menu generator.
Floating Images can now be added to any of the items of your DHTML menu, allowing for even more creative menu implementations.
- The fact that a “floating image” appears above the item’s layer gives it the opportunity to exceed the item’s area!
- Have a look at the following examples, where we have decorated one menu for Christmas and another for the Basketball’s finals by just adding a “floating image” on the items you want and for any of the three states of the menu (Normal, Mouse Over or Mouse Click):
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google, yahoo, micrsoft and game is all done
The bidding for Yahoo!’s future took another twist today when it emerged that Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp was trying to work with Microsoft to find a way they both could get their hands on Yahoo!.
Yahoo!’s rejection of Microsoft’s $31-a-share-offer earlier this week did not please a number of Yahoo!’s investors. Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster asked 20 of Yahoo’s Institutional investors their opinion and the majority said they would prefer to deal with Microsoft on that offer, than do no deal at all. The growing feeling among Silicon Valley investors is that a deal will be completed in the next 3-4 weeks.
What that deal will be and what good it will be to whom, remains to be seen. Google is remaining omimously quiet although, Yahoo! is about to turn over three per cent of its US search queries advertising inventory to Google in a two week trial - clearly a little detail that - if you were cynical - might say is being done to annoy Microsoft during its pursuit.
Difficult as it is to keep up with all the twists and turns - Jemima Kiss over at the Guardian has summarised key events here in a neat timeline.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Building a skyscraper after 9/11
Freedom Tower is to form the centrepiece of the World Trade Center site in New York, which was devastated by the al-Qaeda attacks five years ago.
Due for completion by 2011, the tower will soar 1,776ft (541m) into the sky and incorporate a number of features intended to ensure maximum safety and security.
| THE FREEDOM TOWER  1 High-level air intakes to minimise pollution, and chemical and biological filtering system
2 Central vertical core housing key safety features, including water-resistant lifts, pressurised fire-escape stairs and separate staircase for emergency workers
3 Extra-strong 3ft (1m) concrete casing protecting central core, sprinklers, emergency risers
4 Multi-layered glass curtain wall to protect building from explosions
A parapet at 1,368ft marks the height of the destroyed twin towers |
Safety features include:
NY tower plans found in rubbish
A homeless man has found confidential blueprints for New York's new Freedom Tower dumped in a city rubbish bin.
Mike Fleming handed the documents - marked "Secure Document - Confidential" in to the New York Post newspaper.
The Freedom Tower is being built at Ground Zero, to replace the World Trade Centre towers destroyed on 9/11.
A spokeswoman apologised for the security breach and said that anyone found responsible would be liable for "serious disciplinary action".
'Game plan'
Mr Fleming said he was concerned that the documents might fall into the wrong hands.
"I was outraged, because this is priceless," he told the New York Post.
"This could have ended up on eBay or gotten to al-Qaeda."
The blueprints reveal details of the new building's floor plans, along with the specifications of its concrete walls and its heating and ventilation systems.
Steve Yang, an architect who spoke to the New York Post, said that the plans would have been helpful for a terrorist planning an attack.
"An expert in explosives, demolition or biological weapons certainly could glean enough here to develop a game plan," he said.
However, Candace McAdams, a spokeswoman for the Port Authority of New York which owns the site, said that the plans were "not very detailed" and available to anyone bidding on contracts.
The Port Authority will now conduct an inquiry to find out how the breach occurred.
Websites gamble on their future
The sheer number of competitors selling any and every product or service means shop sites can struggle to make themselves stand out in the crowd.
In a bid to keep up with the pace an increasing number of websites are turning to insights that have emerged from studies of how to gamble on fruit machines.
Running an online store and gambling on a one-armed bandit may seem to have little in common - beyond the near certainty that you are going to lose money - but there is an affinity that might not at first be apparent.
Research into the so called "bandit problem" has produced techniques that ensure theoretical gamblers get the best possible return.
These techniques funnel most cash into the machine giving the current best payout. But they hedge this bet by pumping some coins into other machines to see if they produce a higher return.
How Twitter makes it real
Unlike many of my friends and colleagues I wasn't able to make it to Austin, Texas for this year's SXSW interactive, the four-day technology conference and festival that is currently firing the imagination of the technology world.
So I wasn't in the ballroom when the keynote address by Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg went awry under the less-than-forensic questioning of technology journalist Sarah Lacy.
I didn't see the crowd start to get restless and heckle Zuckerberg about the deeply-unpopular Beacon advertising system, or get a chance to grab the microphone and ask questions when Lacy threw the conversation open to the floor.
And yet I was there in another way, listening to and even interacting with some of my friends in the audience, picking up on the vibe in the room and even tuning in later as Sarah Lacy loudly defended herself.
I was there because I was plugged into Twitter, the instant messaging service that lets users send short text messages to anyone who cares to tune in, online or on their mobile phone.
As I sat at my desk a constant stream of 'tweets', as they are called, was being supplied by many of the people in the room and I was able to reply directly and feel that I too was participating.
Nano switch hints at future chips
Researchers have built the world's smallest transistor - one atom thick and 10 atoms wide - out of a material that could one day replace silicon.
The transistor, essentially an on/off switch, has been made using graphene, a two-dimensional material first discovered only four years ago.
Graphene is a single layer of graphite, which is found in the humble pencil.
The transistor is the key building block of microchips and the basis for almost all electronics.
Dr Kostya Novoselov and Professor Andre Geim from The School of Physics and Astronomy at The University of Manchester have been leading research into the potential application of graphene in electronics and were the first to separate a sheet of the material from graphite
Super material
Graphene has been hailed as a super material because it has many potential applications. It is a flat molecule, with only the thickness of an atom, and both very stable and robust.
The researchers are also looking at its use in display technology - because it is transparent.
The Manchester-based scientists have shown that graphene can be carved into tiny electronic circuits with individual transistors not much larger than a molecule.
Dr Novoselov told BBC News that graphene had many advantages over silicon because it could conduct electricity faster and further.
Friday, April 18, 2008
WHAT IS GREASEMONKEY AND WHAT IS MEAN TO GMAIL AND OTHERS?
www.youthsprouts.blogspot.com Enhance your web experience with Greasemonkey You may come across Greasemonkey scripts which does something useful but are clueless what the heck is Greasemonkey. If you already know about Greasemonkey, well go ahead and check out some other post on my blog, but if you don't know read on. Greasemonkey is a FireFox extension which once installed in FireFox lets you install scripts that make changes to Web Pages. Many times you wish for some feature while browsing your favorite site which isn't there. Like a download link to download videos when you browse YouTube. Install a Greasemonkey script and you'll have that feature. There are thousands of scripts available for various websites and if you know a bit of coding, you can build your own script. The summary is, Greasemonkey provides you with additional functionality for any web page by making on the fly changes to it. And as the scripts are persistent, the changes made to the web page are permanent. So what's you are waiting for. Go ahead and install this awesome extension and add that little feature to your favorite web page you were always wishing for. Download Greasemonkey Find thousands of Greasemonkey scripts Build your own Greasemonkey script. Tutorial and guide
How to create Firefox extension from Greasemonkey scripts
Here's an online tool which converts a Greasemonkey script into a FireFox extension (XPI). Its very easy to use, just enter details like GUID, creator name, extension version etc and copy paste the content of the user script and hit the 'Compile' button. The XPI file would be available for download immediately. Once you install the extension into Firefox, you can take advantage of the script even without Greasemonkey.
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Sony Ericsson XPERIA X1 , Looks impressive
www.youthsprouts.blogspot.com
Its display size is 800 x 480 pixels, 3 inches. with 65K colors and TFT touchscreen. Has an internal memory of 400 MB and runs on Microsoft Windows Mobile 6.0 Professional. It looks very impressive with its distinctive Arc slider design. Other features include Truly mobile internet, RSS feeds, Multiple navigation, Handwriting Recognition, Wi-Fi support etc.
Full specifications here
X1 Overview
Watch the XPERIA X1 hands on MWC 2008 Barcelona Video
- 110.0 x 17.0 x 53.0 mm
- 4.3 x 0.7 x 2.1 inches
- 145.0 gr
- 5.1 oz
- 800 X 480
- 65,536 color TFT
- Up to 400 MB Phone Memory
- MicroSD support
- GSM 850
- GSM 900
- GSM 1800
- GSM 1900
- EDGE
- HSDPA
- HSUPA
- UMTS 850
- UMTS 900
- UMTS 1700
- UMTS 1900
- UMTS 2100
Free Health & Fitness Softwares
www.youthsprouts.blogspot.com
FREE FREE FREE FREE FREE FREE FREE FREE FREE FREE FREE FREE..........................
Free Learn Yoga Software
MB Free Learn Yoga is an educational tool for learning the basics of yoga. This program is extremely simple and very useful for beginners who want to learn how to practice the different Yogas. It is an advanced yet handy software that provides information on every aspect of yoga, the different mudras, meditation, benefits of practicing yoga and meditation and the like.
YOUTHSPROUTS.BLOGSPOT.COM
EvenFit
Track weightlifting, cardio, running, biking and swimming workouts
Design Workout Templates and schedule future workouts
Track body weight, calories, sleep and much more
Yoga freeware
yoga freeware features yoga instructions (hatha yoga, raja yoga & jnana yoga), articles and photos of asanas.
Exercise Diary 
Exercise Diary fitness software accurately records and reports your workouts. Exercise Diary will help you to exceed your limits and achieve the body you desire. Lose fat and increase muscle mass. Every day you wait is a day of lost progress!
Exertrack-Exercise,fitness,workout log software
Exertrack is Exercise, workout and fitness software designed to keep you in shape.Exertrack software makes it easy to create and manage your workouts, as well as find and rank new workouts.
Visual Heart Rate
This free Heart Rate Monitor software allows you to make easy and accurate measurements of your heart rate (beats per minute).
Food File
Food File is a free food database and calorie counter for 1000s of food products.
BMR Calculator
How Many Calories Do You Need? Find Out with a BMR Calculator
Workrave
Workrave is a program that assists in the recovery and prevention of Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI). The program frequently alerts you to take micro-pauses, rest breaks and restricts you to your daily limit.
Free Blood Pressure Recorder Download
Use it daily with a blood pressure meter to keep check of what your blood pressure is doing. High Blood Pressure or Hypertension is very common and a major cause of premature death in the western world. If you are over 40 years old, you need to make sure you do not have it. If you do then you need to see a doctor for advice on how to treat it.
Pimp My Meal
Calory calculator with many features : BMI (body mass index) ,BMR ( basal metabolic rate )and caloric needs according to the Harris-Beneditc formula.
BMI Calculator for Windows
The 'What Health BMI Calc' is an easy to use body mass index calculator for Windows. Body Mass Index can be used to determine if an person is overweight. In keeping with the World Health Organisation (W.H.O.) recommendations, only height and weight measurements are needed to calculate BMI.
The Life Ahead Program
Manage Your Exercise and Cardiofitness
Manage Your Diet and Weight
manage Your Health and Life
DietControl
DietControl is absolutely free software tool for management your personal diet program. DietControl helps you to build a variety of diet programs, according to your specific nutritional needs. It is the easy way to build your meals according to the diet program. With help of DietControl you can track and compare your body measurements, you'll know exactly how well or poorly you're doing.
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Monday, April 14, 2008
Sending/Receiving SMS CODE YOU CAN LEARN AND INNOVATE
www.youthsprouts.blogspot.com Sending sms from nokia series 60
import messaging messaging.sms_send(number, text)Sending/Receiving SMS from MIDlets
// Lets send an SMS now. //get a reference to the appropriate Connection object using an appropriate url MessageConnection conn = (MessageConnection) Connector.open("sms://:50001"); //generate a new text message TextMessage tmsg = (TextMessage) conn.newMessage(MessageConnection.TEXT_MESSAGE); //set the message text and the address tmsg.setPayloadText(message); tmsg.setAddress("sms://" + number); //finally send our message conn.send();
// Time to receive one. //get reference to MessageConnection object MessageConnection conn = (MessageConnection) Connector.open("sms://:50001"); //set message listener conn.setMessageListener( new MessageListener() { public void notifyIncomingMessage(MessageConnection conn) { Message msg = conn.receive(); //do whatever you want with the message if(msg instanceof TextMessage) { TextMessage tmsg = (TextMessage) msg; System.out.println(tmsg.getPayloadText()); } else if(msg instanceof BinaryMessage) { ..... } else { ...... } } } );
Send and receive SMS text messages with Ruby and a GSM/GPRS modem
require 'serialport' require 'time' class GSM SMSC = "+447785016005" # SMSC for Vodafone UK - change for other networks def initialize(options = {}) @port = SerialPort.new(options[:port] || 3, options[:baud] || 38400, options[:bits] || 8, options[:stop] || 1, SerialPort::NONE) @debug = options[:debug] cmd("AT") # Set to text mode cmd("AT+CMGF=1") # Set SMSC number cmd("AT+CSCA=\"#{SMSC}\"") end def close @port.close end def cmd(cmd) @port.write(cmd + "\r") wait end def wait buffer = '' while IO.select([@port], [], [], 0.25) chr = @port.getc.chr; print chr if @debug == true buffer += chr end buffer end def send_sms(options) cmd("AT+CMGS=\"#{options[:number]}\"") cmd("#{options[:message][0..140]}#{26.chr}\r\r") sleep 3 wait cmd("AT") end class SMS attr_accessor :id, :sender, :message, :connection attr_writer :time def initialize(params) @id = params[:id]; @sender = params[:sender]; @time = params[:time]; @message = params[:message]; @connection = params[:connection] end def delete @connection.cmd("AT+CMGD=#{@id}") end def time # This MAY need to be changed for non-UK situations, I'm not sure # how standardized SMS timestamps are.. Time.parse(@time.sub(/(\d+)\D+(\d+)\D+(\d+)/, '\2/\3/20\1')) end end def messages sms = cmd("AT+CMGL=\"ALL\"") # Ugly, ugly, ugly! msgs = sms.scan(/\+CMGL\:\s*?(\d+)\,.*?\,\"(.+?)\"\,.*?\,\"(.+?)\".*?\n(.*)/) return nil unless msgs msgs.collect!{ |m| GSM::SMS.new(:connection => self, :id => m[0], :sender => m[1], :time => m[2], :message => m[3].chomp) } rescue nil end end destination_number = "+44 someone else" p = GSM.new(:debug => false) # Send a text message p.send_sms(:number => destination_number, :message => "Test at #{Time.now}") # Read text messages from phone p.messages.each do |msg| puts "#{msg.id} - #{msg.time} - #{msg.sender} - #{msg.message}" # msg.delete end
Python - SendSMS over BT and AT import bluetooth sockfd = bluetooth.BluetoothSocket(bluetooth.RFCOMM) sockfd.connect(('00:00:00:00:00:00', 1)) # BT Address sockfd.send('ATZ\r') sockfd.send('AT+CMGF=1\r') sockfd.send('AT+CSCA="+393359609600"\r') # Client TIM ITA sockfd.send('AT+CMGS="+39xxxxxxxxxx"\r') # TO PhoneNumber sockfd.send('Messaggio da mandare...\n') sockfd.send(chr(26)) # CTRL+Z sockfd.close()
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Computer viruses hit one million
www.youthsprouts.blogspot.com
Photo
The vast majority of viruses are aimed at Windows machines
The number of viruses, worms and trojans in circulation has topped the one million mark.
The new high for malicious programs was revealed by security firm Symantec in the latest edition of its bi-annual Internet Security Threat Report.
The vast majority of these programs have been created in the last twelve months, said Symantec.
Cyber criminals pump out malware to fool anti-virus programs which look for characteristics they have already seen.
Money game
The latest edition of the Symantec report covers the second half of 2007 during which time the security firm detected 499,811 new malicious code threats. This figure was up 136% on the first six months of 2007.
Throughout 2007 Symantec detected more than 711,912 novel threats which brings the total number of malicious programs that the security firm's anti-virus programs detect to 1,122,311.
The report notes: "almost two thirds of all malicious code threats currently detected were created during 2007."
The vast majority of these viruses are aimed at PCs running Microsoft Windows and are variants of already existing malicious programs that have proved useful to hi-tech criminals in the past.
Symantec said part of the rise was down to criminals increasingly using trojans as a "beachhead" to gain access to a PC and then use that route to download and install a variety of other malicious programs.
Popular malicious installations include key loggers that spring to life if particular websites are visited or programs, such as online games, are started up.
The report also put the growth in malicious code down to the increasingly professional digital criminal underground.
Typically, groups engaged in hi-tech crime employ groups of programmers to generate the novel variants.
The fact that these programmers expect to be paid drives the criminals to make as much money as possible out of the information they steal and to be constantly on the look out for new victims.
Said the report: "The combination of these factors results in a high volume of new malicious code samples that threaten users online." __Earn $$ with WidgetBucks
