Poison applet could wipe Windows PCs

A brace of Microsoft security vulnerabilities pose risks for both home users and corporates, claims The Register.

The more serious problem, involving Microsoft`s virtual machine (Microsoft VM), which enables Java programs to run on Microsoft Windows, affects Windows 98, NT 4, Windows 2000, XP and Windows Me. Attacks including "changing data, loading and running programmes, and reformatting the hard disk", might be possible, according to Microsoft`s alert.

Other alerts explain that the vulnerability arises through a flaw with the ByteCode Verifier component of the Microsoft VM, which makes the component "blind" to the presence of malicious code in Java applets. An alert on the problem, which links to patches, can be found here.

Separately, the report goes, Microsoft yesterday released patches designed to fix denial of service vulnerabilities involving Microsoft Proxy Server 2.0 and Microsoft Internet Security and Acceleration Server 2000. The upshot of both vulnerabilities is that internal ne`er do wells can send malformed packets that could cause servers to hang. Patches, described by Microsoft as important, can be found by following links on the advisory here.

The Russian Communications Ministry has ratified the use of Bluetooth. The State Commission for Radio Frequencies officially allowed Bluetooth to use the 2.4-2.4835MHz band.

Consumer electronics and wireless device manufacturers operating in Russia will all benefit, comments consulting firm J`son and Partners. The firm estimates that Russian mobile subscribers reached 21.3 million in March.

To date, only 15% of Russians have a phone. Other technologies such as wireless LANs (WLANs) and fixed wireless (LMDS, MMDS) prove popular alternatives given Russia`s poor physical infrastructure and wide geography.

Nintendo has confirmed a reduction in its royalty rates for third-party games on its hardware, according to Extremetech. The cost of releasing games for Gamecube is now roughly equal to that of any other console, at least as far as the royalty paid to the console manufacturer is concerned, the site reports.

Nintendo also announced plans for a special bundle packing in The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker with a Gamecube console.