Intel declines AMD`s chip challenge

Intel has turned down a challenge by its main rival AMD for a head-to-head performance comparison between the two vendors` dual-core chips, reports Vnunet.com.

AMD placed advertisements in several US newspapers on the opening day of the Intel Developers` Forum in San Francisco, asking the company to enter a competition to determine who makes the fastest server processor.

During a question and answer session following his opening keynote at the Intel event, CEO Paul Otellini declined AMD`s invitation.

"I`ve always thought that companies and products are best judged in the marketplace," he said.

A huge ID theft ring that has caught out about a thousand computer users has been uncovered and the FBI has reportedly started investigating the ring of thieves.

Security firm Sunbelt Software said it stumbled across a US-based server storing megabytes of data stolen from compromised computers while researching spyware infections, BBC News reports.

The bug that has stolen all the data is thought to be a variant of a family of Trojans known as Dumaru or Nibu, which exploit a vulnerability in Microsoft`s Internet Explorer browser.

"The way the data is laid out, the quality of it, it`s very easy to go through and use it for nefarious purposes," says Sunbelt Software research VP, Eric Sites.

Computer Associates (CA) has warned customers they are at risk from serious security flaws affecting a string of applications on several platforms.

The company warned of two flaws that could allow attackers to execute malicious code or commands to be executed on enterprise systems.

The bugs affect CA Message Queuing, a component found in a large number of CA applications, Techworld.com reports.

CA has suffered from several high-profile security glitches this year. In May, the company disclosed a serious security flaw in its anti-virus products.

Under-investment in corporate e-mail systems could see companies facing costly lawsuits and strict compliance regulations.

A survey of 100 CIOs found that 80% have little or no confidence regarding the archiving and retrieval capabilities of their company`s e-mail systems, Silicon.com reports.

Michael Decker, MD of e-mail compliance vendor Cryoserver, which carried out the survey, said too many companies and their staff are unaware of the consequences of e-mail misuse in the workplace.

"Many organisations are leaving themselves open to very humiliating and costly court cases."