Daily News Brief: Security Flaw Discovered in Skype

Skype Videos Potentially Pose Security Thread

Security researcher Aviv Raff discovered a programming error in Skype that could allow online miscreants to wreak havoc. The reported flaw makes use of an Internet Explorer component to render HTML, potentially allowing an attacker to run scripting code on the victim's system and spread malware. The vulnerability relies on sites that contain a common programming flaw called a cross-zone scripting error, tricking Skype into running malicious scripts from trusted websites. All Windows versions of Skype are affected, including 3.5.* and 3.6.*.

Fujitsu Eyes Up Semiconductor Subsidiary

Come this March, Fujitsu said it will form a new chip subsidiary. The spin-off comes as part of Fujitsu's initiative to reform its LSI business, moving their loss-ridden semiconductor unit to the company's Mie plant. Fujitsu estimates the move will cost about 10 billion yen ($93.6 million). Once completed, the plant will make semiconductors based on 45nm technology.

Are IP Addresses Personal?

The European Union thinks so, who said that the IP addresses should generally be regarded as personal information. Peter Scharr, who leads the EU group currently preparing an internet privacy policy report, told the European Parliament that when someone is identified by an IP, "then it has to be regarded as personal data." Google disagrees, and counters that an IP address just identifies a computer's location, and not necessarily who the individual user is. So why does it all matter? If IP addresses are deemed personal information, search engines might have to rethink how they currently record data. Read more here.

Microsoft's Virtual 180

Microsoft today said it would allow users to run Home Basic and Home Premium versions of Vista as guest OSes on a virtual machine. Prior to the announcement, virtualization rights were limited to Ultimate or Business owners behind the thinking that more technically savvy users would likely purchase the pricier versions, resulting in less security risks. Microsoft's licensing about-face comes as good news to both Mac users and virtualization software vendors. New to Virtual Machines? Download the January 2007 issue (PDF) and reference pages 49-52.

Blu-ray Big in Japan

HD-DVD appears to be fighting an increasingly steep uphill battle in the US, and the outlook looks even worse in Japan. New figures in a major study of 2,300 electronic stores across Japan found that Blu-ray players accounted for 90 percent of next generation DVD recorder sales over a three month period. Even worse for the HD-DVD camp, the study only focused on living-room DVD recorders, and doesn't account for Playstation 3 consoles, which include a built-in Blu-ray player.

Get Wii Fit in Q2 2008

Have you been putting off your New Year's resolution to shed a few pounds until you get your hands on Nintendo's Wii Fit exercise add-on? If so, your wait is almost over. Engadget reports the Wii Fit will start shipping stateside come second quarter of 2008. The add-on comes with a 300-pound weight limit, though it's not clear whether or not the US version will support more than that.