Reserved Words

Website security fails

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it online security rant stupidity technology

I’m amazed that in the year 2012 we still have obvious and glaring bad practises relating to security of information, particularly personal information when it comes to websites and other online systems. No wonder identity theft is such a growing area of concern.  A large Telco I signed up with just sent me my first bill via email. All the details of my account and all the phone calls I had made were included in a PDF attachment to the email. This company has a secure website that allows you to…

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Senator Fielding also fails internet school

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fail openinternet politics stupidity technology

According to this ABC News article, links to child pornography were posted on the website of Senator Steve Fielding of Family First. The website hosted a forum (under the link ‘Have Your Say’) where anyone can register as a user and then post comments. I’m unable to verify because the forum is now closed, but I suspect someone registered an account and spammed the site. Childish and puerile but hardly uncommon on the internet, particularly when you’re a politician who is very ‘pro family values’…

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People of NSW – don’t believe the spin about the SMH hacking a website

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media nsw politics stupidity technology

Background On Friday 19th Feb 2010, Sydney Morning Herald reporters Matthew Moore and Andrew West were advised by a contact to go to the website nswtransportblueprint.com.au, where material on the transport blueprint was available. The reporters did not require a password to view the documents, which were available to anyone with the URL address. The reporters immediately printed out as much material as possible. *The Premier’s chief of staff, Walt Secord, that evening told West…

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Channel 9 Twitter fail

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fail media stupidity technology

Now that we’ve had some success tackling the big issues, time to turn our sights on Channel 9, free to air broadcaster of cricket in Australia. Currently one of the major sponsors of cricket is mobile phone company Three. They have a promotion where you can get free access to Twitter for a period of time if you sign up (or something). Channel 9 have an info-graphic thingo to promote this and they are promoting their Twitter username as: @ninecommentaryteam (have a look at how many people are att…

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Google Android logo fun

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humour stupidity technology

I was in my local Harvey Norman and walked past their display for the HTC Hero, out of the corner of my eye something just didn’t look right. Check out their use of the Windows logo to promote the fact that the phone time Android! I don’t think they get it. Or maybe that logo is now a generic logo for operating systems now. Update:@HarveyNormanAU contacted me via Twitter to ask which store it was so that they can fix this up. Never let it be said that we’re not tackling the big issues here peop…

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