Google goes ABW: Anything But Windows

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• Google workers are told, you can have any flavor of computer you want, except for Microsoft Windows, employees tell the Financial Times. The idea of using anything but Windows appears to date back to the infamous hacking of Google’s servers in China back in February. According to the published report, new employees are offered a choice of PCs running Linux, or Apple Macintoshes running Mac OS-ten. Google employees report having to get high level management clearance to continue running Windows on Google’s network. Windows may carry security concerns, but some employees also told Financial Times that the new policy seems designed to encourage them to use the company’s own Chrome operating system, which competes with Windows.
• Facebook faced a third phishing attack this weekend. The attack attempts to steal your Facebook login credentials, install malware on your computer, and even get your home address. The attack is spread via a “hilarious video” posted to Facebook walls. Depending on your location, you may also be presented with a contest to win an iPad … if you just enter your home address. Either way, don’t do it. If you’ve already fallen for the attack, CNN Tech suggests you change your Facebook password, uninstall the Facebook app, and run a virus/malware scan on your computer.
• In a case of no good deed going unpunished, IBM gave out souvenir thumb drives it didn’t realize contained a piece of malware that’s been circulating on the Internet for two years. The freebies were distributed from IBM’s booth at a security conference in Australia, according to Information Week. Realizing the faux pas, IBM issued e-mail apologies to attendees, instructing them not to use the drives and giving recipients a postage-free way to return them. IBM didn’t name the particular work, but did say it contained setup.exe and “autorun.ini” files.

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