Flaw found in old MS Office versions

A security company has warned that a flaw in older versions of Microsoft Office could allow a denial-of-service attack.

CNet reports that Secunia issued an advisory saying a buffer overrun flaw has been found in Office 2000 and possibly also in Office XP that could allow hackers to take over a user`s system.

The security firm says the flaw could be exploited through a specially-crafted MS Word document and recommends that users open only trusted Word documents until a fix is found. Microsoft says it is investigating.

The days of relying on shrinking transistors to achieve performance gains are over, reports PC World.

The report quotes IBM`s Bernie Meyerson as saying ultra-tiny transistors won`t be key to new PC performance gains because chips have become so small that atomic-level defects are causing serious problems.

Meyerson says the chip industry needs to enter a new era of innovation where system-level features are just as important as thinner transistor gates. He says while current designs rely on innovations within the processor, future performance increases will be about chip and system-level innovation.

China is leading the world in the number of subscribers to high-speed Internet through phone lines, according to a report by BBC News Online.

The report says the number of broadband subscribers via digital subscriber line in China has doubled in a year to 13 million, which is over a third of the global growth of 30 million in the past year.

Industry analyst David Greggains says at the current growth rate, the worldwide number of subscribers is expected to reach 100 million by the end of 2004.

The growth in China has partly been ascribed to a growth in the community of online gamers and the Chinese government`s use of broadband in education.

Sun Microsystems has settled a patent suit by Eastman Kodak relating to Java software by agreeing to license Kodak`s patents for $92 million.

CNet say the settlement comes less than a week after a jury ruled in Kodak`s favour over accusations that Java violated three Kodak patents.

Sun says the settlement eliminates any uncertainty that could result from a protracted lawsuit and appeal. Kodak says it is satisfied it achieved the goal of protecting its intellectual property.

The British music industry is to sue 28 Internet users it says are illegally swapping music online, reports BBC News Online.

The report says the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) is targeting uploaders who make music available on the Internet. Music file-sharers have been blamed for a decline in world CD sales, using software such as Kazaa, Grokster, Imesh, Bearshare and WinMX to trade music.

The BPI`s action follows similar steps in the US, with legal action also planned against alleged file-sharers in Europe. US record companies have issued more than 5 700 lawsuits, with many settling out of court.