Internet Flaw Was Exaggerated
The researcher who found a much-publicized flaw in the Internet announced last week that the flaw was not as serious as it was made out to be. The flaw will most likely affect large and medium-sized businesses, who can prevent attacks by taking action before hackers do.

Security Issues with Bluetooth Technology
Data that's being transferred between Bluetooth devices can be captured, according to one Bluetooth researcher. Personal identification numbers (PINs) used by Bluetooth devices can be cracked quickly if they are 4-characters or less; fortunately the equipment needed to capture a 4-character PIN costs more than $15,000. To prevent someone from gathering information you transmit with your Bluetooth device: disable Bluetooth, change your PIN to 10+ characters, or avoid using Bluetooth connections in public places.

Shipping Companies Testing Use of Bluetooth Technology
A Virginia-based company will use Bluetooth wireless technology along with satellites to track maritime shipments and hopefully foil attempts to tamper with them. In the first test to ever use real cargo, "sniffers" will be placed inside containers and will tell those monitoring if illegal drugs or bomb-making materials are ever placed inside. Unlike other security efforts in the maritime industry, this method is not expected to slow down the shipping process.

Congress Debates Tax on Internet Access Fees
State and local governments don't tax the fees you pay to your Internet Service Provider (ISP), because the government banned this practice in 1998. However, the ban only lasted four years and it expired last November. Now lawmakers are trying to determine if the monthly fees charged by ISPs can be taxed (giving states much-wanted income) or if the ability to tax should be banned for another four years (giving consumers a break and encouraging innovation).

Computers Used to Tally Votes in November, But Problems Abound
Electronic voting has had its ups and downs, and many legislatures are debating whether or not to use the technology in November. Security issues and software flaws are forcing states to pass laws that require paper balloting instead of, or in addition to, computer votes. During the primaries this year, everything from modem problems to power surges have plagued states using computer voting.

New Ads to Circumvent Pop-Up Blocking Software
As the number of users who have pop-up blocking software increases, fewer users are actually seeing the ads intended for them. A European ad company, Falk eSolutions AG, says it has developed a solution for advertisers who want their messages to be seen. Falk's AdSolution FX product is said to reach users even if they are running pop-up blocking software, though the details of their product are unclear.

UK Tests Nationwide Identity Cards
The British government is running a pilot test of identity cards that contain biometric identifiers. The ID cards will include an iris scan, facial dimensions, or fingerprints, in a test to determine which works best as an identifier. Civil liberties groups are against the idea, but a recent opinion poll said 80% of people support the idea.

Remove List of My Recent Documents
When you choose Start in Windows XP Professional, you will see an item called "My Recent Documents", which lists the last 15 documents you've accessed on your computer. To remove the items from this list, right-click Start, choose Properties, then choose Customize. On the Advanced tab, choose Clear List. If you're using the Classic Start menu, choose Clear. This will empty the folder, though the documents will remain on your machine. If you don’t want any future documents to be tracked in this folder, on the Advanced tab, choose "Customize", and clear the "List my most recently opened documents" check box.

What is Port Scanning and How Can You Prevent It
Port scanning is used by hackers to check TCP/IP ports on your computer for availability. These ports are entry points into your computer when you're on the Internet or a Local Area Network (LAN). Once a hacker determines which services are running on your computer and which ports are available, they can proceed with exploiting these weaknesses. How do you prevent a hacker from seeing which ports on your machine are available? Install a Firewall. Firewalls allow you to specify who can connect to which ports on your computer, or will warn you if a port is open and no service is running. Firewalls aren't fail-proof but can provide a strong line of defense.

SurfSecret Tip: Close Your Browser When Your Boss is Coming
If you're surfing the web or chatting with instant messaging, you can use the "Boss Key" from SurfSecret's Privacy Protector to hide your windows immediately. This doesn't mean just minimizing the windows so they still appear on your toolbar. This means making them disappear completely (and then re-appear when you are ready). To enable the Boss Key, install Privacy Protector, choose the Boss Key tab, and use the default Alt+Space option or assign your own hot key. Then test this feature by using your hotkey to quickly hide and un-hide windows.

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