We are looking forward to a new year. Last year was plagued with computer  issues. Wish us well in 2012.

We wish you all a healthy and happy new year.

to be added

Study Shows How Third Parties Access Your Browsing History – Some Browsers Vulnerable to Attacks

Although the latest versions of Firefox, Safari and Chrome now block history sniffing, users with other browsers, such as Internet Explorer, or outdated versions are vulnerable to attacks.

To study history sniffing, the researchers built their own JavaScript monitoring technology. They used it to analyze the front pages of the top 50,000 Websites. They determined that 485 of those sites inspect style properties and that 63 transfer browser history to the network. “We confirmed that 46 of them are actually doing history sniffing, one of these sites being in the Alexa global top 100,” the UC San Diego computer scientists write in their paper (http://cseweb.ucsd.edu/~hovav/papers/jjls10.html).

Although the researchers emphasize that history sniffing is not as dangerous as other vulnerabilities—such as malware that can steal your personal information—it can pose a risk, especially to businesses.

“History sniffing is unusual in effectively allowing any site you visit to learn about your browsing habits on any other site,” explained Shacham, “regardless if the two sites have any business relationship.

“I think people who have updated or switched browsers should now worry about things other than history sniffing, like keeping their Flash plug-in up to date so they don’t get exploited. But that doesn’t mean that the companies that have engaged in history sniffing for the currently 60 percent of the user population that is vulnerable to it should get a free pass,” said Shacham.

The researchers hope to expand their study to applications and Web 2.0. To determine if your browser is vulnerable to history sniffing, visit http://www.whattheinternetknowsaboutyou.com/.

google article here

I came across this article in Mythbusters. I am still wondering if it is something I should look into. Is this something that would work best for someone who has a blackberry or sits at a computer all day? I have seen Jimmy Falen us it on his late night TV show.

Twitter Myths Explained

http://www.mythbusters.com/twitter-myths-explained.html

Twitter is surrounded by many myths — Learn the truth

People who don’t understand Twitter, think it’s completely worthless. To those of us who are Twitter-addicts, we know in our twittering little hearts that couldn’t be further from the truth. Find out the most common myths surrounding Twitter and tweet the truth!

Myth #1 – You have to know how to Tweet the ‘right way’

What’s great about Twitter is you can use it any way you want. Your tweets can be private – for friends and family only. Or, you can use Twitter for business purposes. There’s no right way or wrong way likewise there are no rules of etiquette. Use how it best fits your need and learn how to Twitter your way.

Myth #2 – All Twitter is good for is updating friends

Many people who don’t understand Twitter falsely think it’s only for letting your friends know what you’re doing on a blow-by-blow basis. Not so. Twitter’s main function is about status updates, but you can take it further.

Try photo sharing or mashups — where you combine Twitter data with another website. You can also use hashtags to your advantage. Hashtags attach to a tweet and make it searchable. Twitter people who use the service for business, politics, or as a marketing technique for celebrities use this feature.

Myth #3 – Unless you’re a celebrity – you won’t have many followers

Celebrities are always going to have many followers because… well, they’re celebrities. This doesn’t mean that you can’t have tons of followers in your Twitter account too — it’s just a little bit harder.

To build up a huge following, first you have to say something that’s worth listening too. Second, you’ll have to work at getting followers by filling out your bio completely, sharing pictures, using hashtags, and most importantly — keep on tweeting.

Myth #4 – Twitter serves no purpose

Where have you been? While Twitter began as just status updates, it quickly evolved into an important communication tool. With Twitter, people can network and get information out fast.

In 2009, Iranians used Twitter to organize government protests. People on Twitter stayed current on the news of the 2008 Mumbai attacks. With Twitter being available on several platforms like SMS, instant messaging, and of course, the Internet, this free service has become more than just a source of boring details. It’s a way to keep the world connected.

According to Nielson, Twitter grew 1,382% from February 2008 to February 2009. Even being misunderstood and surrounded by myths can’t stop Twitter from growing. Now that you know the truth about Twitter – tweet it!

Now that I have gotten into blogging, I am learning more and more about WordPress.