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Malware hits US drone fleet

Admire Moyo
By Admire Moyo, ITWeb's news editor.
Johannesburg, 10 Oct 2011

Malware hits US drone fleet

A computer virus has hit the US Predator and Reaper drone fleet that Washington deploys to hunt down militants, logging the keystrokes of pilots remotely flying missions, Wired magazine reported, notes AFP.

The virus was first detected about two weeks ago by the military's Host-Based Security System, but it had not halted missions flown remotely over Afghanistan and other war zones from Nevada's Creech Air Force Base, Wired said on Friday.

No classified information was believed to have been lost or sent outside the network, though the resilient virus resisted several attempts to remove it.

Ofcom delays 4G spectrum auctions

UK telecoms watchdog Ofcom is to delay auctions that would sell chunks of radio spectrum to support future fourth-generation mobile services, writes the BBC.

The process was initially scheduled to take place early in 2012 following a consultation about the proposals during 2011.

However, Ofcom said the strength of the responses to that consultation had persuaded it to delay the auction.

HP workers in job cuts strike

HP staff downed tools at the SIMO Network 2011 conference in Spain last week to protest against job cuts, reports The Register.

The disgruntled workers took to the HP stand on 5 October only to lie down clasping placards urging their employer to “Stop Lay-Offs”.

The US tech titan - which employs more than 324 000 staff worldwide - revealed in June 2010 that it would axe 9 000 bodies over the next three years following “productivity gains and automation” in the services business.

Man assaults wife over Facebook update

A 36-year-old Texas man has pleaded not guilty to battery charges after allegedly attacking his estranged wife for failing to “Like” a status update he posted to Facebook, reveals Mashable.

Benito Apolinar had posted an update to his Facebook page about the anniversary of his mother's death. Angry that the post had elicited no response from his wife of 15 years, he confronted her after dropping off their children at her home in Carlsbad, New Mexico, on Tuesday.

“That's amazing everyone 'Likes' my status but you, you're my wife. You should be the first one to 'Like' my status,” he allegedly told her before punching her in the cheek and pulling her hair. He was reportedly under the influence of alcohol at the time.

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