1. : Oracle was forced to issue a patch for its WebLogic application server after Russian security company Intevydis released details on the exploit before notifying Oracle. The vulnerability affects servers running Windows, Linux and Unix, and could potentially lead to a full compromise of the system, Oracle said. In a blog posting, Oracle strongly recommended that customers apply the patch as soon as possible. Intevydis does not alert companies about flawed software prior to publicly disclosing the issue since that method "allows vendors to exploit security [researchers] to do QA work for free," according to the company's CEO.
2. : U.S. President Barack Obama looks to incorporate traits from the private sector's use of technology into the federal government IT system without spending additional money, according to the 2011 budget he released. In the budget, which increases federal IT spending by only 1.2 percent to US$79.4 billion, Obama criticized the government's IT department for not delivering the results seen in private industries that adopt the same technology. The budget also calls for reducing IT spending by reducing data centers and consolidating IT services by using cloud computing and virtualization.
3. : Google will issue an update for its Nexus One smartphone after users complained that 3G connectivity issues troubled the device. The update will also add multitouch support for some phone functions. The phone's browser, photo and map applications will now have the pinch-to-zoom functionality, the lack of which irked phone users.
4. : E-voting supporters and critics both claimed wins after a New Jersey judge issued an opinion on a lawsuit that seeks to end the use of e-voting machines from Sequoia Voting Systems. The judge found the e-voting machines reliable and safe, but also ordered a panel of computer experts to re-evaluate the state's 11,000 e-voting machines and determine if the devices should continue to be used. In a statement, Sequoia said the ruling backs the company's claims about producing safe voting devices, while plaintiffs praised the judge's order for a re-evaluation.
5. : Google sent Internet privacy advocates into a conniption after the Washington Post reported that the company allegedly recruited the U.S. National Security Agency to help investigate the recent cyberattacks that China supposedly launched. The proposed deal will allow Google to work with the NSA to bolster its defenses, but the government will not have access to any user search information or e-mail accounts. Google and the NSA would not comment on the reported alliance, but privacy groups reacted with alarm to the possibility of a spy agency and major data holder pairing up.
6. : Yahoo will sell its HotJobs Web site to Monster Worldwide, which offers job-hunting services as well as job listings, for $225 million. The sale reflects a strategy by Yahoo CEO Carol Bartz to focus on growing Yahoo, which has been losing share to Google and Microsoft in Internet search, and exit peripheral businesses. The realignment also includes a deal that outsources Yahoo's Web search functions to Microsoft while Yahoo handles premium search advertising sales for the companies.
7. : Google's efforts to create a digital library face another challenge after the U.S. Department of Justice issued a filing against the revised settlement in a copyright lawsuit between Google and authors and publishers. The DOJ said the revised agreement didn't address any of the government's concerns from the original settlement. The revised agreement grants rights that violate fundamental copyright principle and may give Google "anticompetitive advantages," the DOJ said. While a U.S. District Court judge will ultimately rule on the revised settlement, the DOJ's filing could mean that the government will challenge the settlement's legality if the court approves the measure.
8. : Russia is perceived as a cybercrime hotspot, but Eugene Kaspersky, co-founder and CEO of Moscow-based antivirus software company Kaspersky Lab, notes that "malware doesn't have a passport." Internet crime originates from China, Latin America and the U.S. as well as Moscow. Kaspersky discussed this topic as well as the challenges of starting a technology company in Russia in an interview with IDG News Service.
9. : The iPad may have a rival from the company that championed the netbook. Asustek Computer looks to release an e-reader and tablet PC in the second half of 2010. While the company didn't offer details about its new hardware, company CEO Jerry Shen said Asustek will seek content partners once its tablet PC goes to market.
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, and : The importance of using data analysis in business decisions will foster even greater demand for BI (business intelligence) use in the coming years, according to CIOs and industry analysts. A package developed by IDG reporters explores this topic with pieces on the growth of BI cloud computing applications, why clothing retailer The Gap opted for a companywide BI deployment, the use of flash memory as companies look to quickly access data and how CIOs can handle the increased need for BI tools and software.