Beware Conficker worm come tomorrow

from Yahoo-Tech http://tech.yahoo.com/blogs/null/128643

In an event that hits the computer world only once every few years, security experts are racing against time to mitigate the impact of a bit of malware which is set to wreak havoc on a hard-coded date. As is often the case, that date is April 1.

Malware creators love to target April Fool’s Day with their wares, and the latest worm, called Conficker C, could be one of the most damaging attacks we’ve seen in years.

Conficker first bubbled up in late 2008 and began making headlines in January as known infections topped 9 million computers. Now in its third variant, Conficker C, the worm has grown incredibly complicated, powerful, and virulent… though no one is quite sure exactly what it will do when D-Day arrives.

Thanks in part to a quarter-million-dollar bounty on the head of the writer of the worm, offered by Microsoft, security researchers are aggressively digging into the worm’s code as they attempt to engineer a cure or find the writer before the deadline. What’s known so far is that on April 1, all infected computers will come under the control of a master machine located somewhere across the web, at which point anything’s possible. Will the zombie machines become denial of service attack pawns, steal personal information, wipe hard drives, or simply manifest more traditional malware pop-ups and extortion-like come-ons designed to sell you phony security software? No one knows.

Conficker is clever in the way it hides its tracks because it uses an enormous number of URLs to communicate with HQ. The first version of Conficker used just 250 addresses each day — which security researchers and ICANN simply bought and/or disabled — but Conficker C will up the ante to 50,000 addresses a day when it goes active, a number which simply can’t be tracked and disabled by hand.

At this point, you should be extra vigilant about protecting your PC: Patch Windows completely through Windows Update and update your anti-malware software as well. Make sure your antivirus software is actually running too, as Conficker may have disabled it.

Microsoft also offers a free online safety scan here, which should be able to detect all Conficker versions.

Leaving computers on overnight = $2.8 billion a year

from Yahoo-Tech http://tech.yahoo.com/blogs/null/130078

Admittedly I don’t think much about it at all. I leave my laptop running overnight because I know it’ll take five minutes or more to get things going in the morning — not just booting up, but launching the various apps I start the day with, downloading my overnight email, filtering out the spam, and otherwise “getting settled.”

But all the power wasted while computers are sitting idle overnight adds up, and one study has finally tried to measure it. The tally: An estimated $2.8 billion wasted on excess energy costs each year in the U.S. alone.

On a CO2 basis, that’s 20 million tons of carbon dioxide, about the amount produced by 4 million cars on the road.

The full report is available for download here (scroll down to “PC Energy Report US 2009”).

But big numbers like that become almost meaningless in an era of trillion-dollar bailouts, so to put the wasted energy in perspective, the study provides the data in terms you can better understand: If you run a company with 1,000 PCs left on overnight, you can save about $28,000 a year if they are turned off after hours. That’s not chump change.

Of course, it’s also a fact that your PC will function better if you restart it regularly, and nightly shutdowns can help you avoid having to suddenly reboot in the middle of the day when you’d otherwise be productive. So even though this little laptop, by my math, eats up only about a quarter’s worth of power overnight, maybe it’s a smart idea — and ultimately a time-saver, too — to shut it down after hours after all.

SSPS1 3X – After 43 Years

Initial posting at: http://sulaimanian.wordpress.com/2009/03/28/ssps1-2x-after-43-years/

It was a short notice that Yong Chin Fook was coming to Kuala Lumpur from Malacca for his business trip and wanted to take the opportunity to meet up with some of those in the photo of our Express Class classmates  [Calling SS Primary 1 – Express Class 1966-1967]. In such a short time, I managed to call/text a few that can be reachable.

Though initially there were six of us who agreed to meet but come the 16th March, Syed Fattah was down with cold and so was Azizul Azman who cannot make it.

I have not met Chin Fook ever since we left school. In fact, I vaguely remember him initially when he first wrote an email late last year – until he pointed himself in the 1966 3X class photo. And of course I remember him well then, he was the second shortest boy in the class those days. [I remember him well also because his name sound similar to my closest classmate then Ho Fook Kam – whom I shed tears when we had to be separated when his father who was a policeman was transferred and we lost touch since then] But then in the later years of our upper secondary days, Chin Fook and myself were seldom together when we were separated by the different streams we took.

Well, Zahrin Hassan was the shortest of all. But he is now no longer the shortest and chubby boy. Though he still has not outgrown any of us – he looks physically fittest of all. Most of us have the extras all around our body but he does not show his age at all. Zahrin does not join most of us to SS Secondary as he moved back to his Malacca hometown. Despite he did came back to KT off and on to stay with his uncle, Cikgu Harun, at Gong Kapas – but he acknowledged that he had lost touch with many and not able to meet them.

It was great that Wee Hock was able to make that night coming all the way from TTDI to meet at Grand Seasons Hotel. The last I met him was at the late Mrs. Wee’s house for Chinese New Year in mid-1990s, I was not able to recognised him at the first look though he still sounds Wee Hock that I know. He used to be among the smaller boys for the many years that we were together up until Form 6 (1976). In fact he was the smallest in his family before and now the biggest and widest of them.

Unfortunately I had to leave early [11.00 pm!] as I had to join a conference call [the third meeting for the night!]. Earlier I had to rescheduled the first meeting [to right after maghrib] to accomodate Chin Fook’s request for the meeting. My evening ended with three meetings until past 1 am. What a lovely evening.

Cell phone vs. Al Quran

Someone sent me this to my email. I think it is interesting to share about it … but also think wisely about.

Cell phone vs. Quran

Ever wonder what would happen if we treated our Quran like we treat
our cell phone?

What if we carried  it around in our purses or pockets?

What if we flipped  through it several time a day?

What if we turned  back to go get it if we forgot it?

What if we used it  to receive messages from the text?

What if we treated  it like we couldn’t live without it?

What if we gave it  to kids as gifts?

What if we used it  when we traveled?

What if we used it  in case of emergency?

This is something  to make you go….hmm…where is my Quran?

Oh, and one more  thing.

Unlike our cell  phone, we don’t have to worry about our Quran being disconnected

Makes you stop and think ‘where are my priorities? And  no dropped calls!

P. S.  DO WHAT YOU THINK GOD WOULD WANT YOU TO DO WITH  THIS EMAIL
Trust in the Lord and *ASAP (Always Say A Prayer)

If you are one of the 7% who will stand up for Him, forward this.

93% of people won’t forward this.

Sayang ibu kepada anak

The orang utan mother with a baby clinging onto her (left) grabs the rope bridge as soon as it was thrown towards her.

KOTA KINABALU: The Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) has captured rare images of an orang utan swimming to safety with a baby on her back.

The mother swims while holding onto the rope. It made sure the baby’s head was above water while she swam across.

A WWF field staff recently took the photographs in the Lower Segama area between Sandakan and Lahad Datu.

The orang utan had been stranded on a tree for a week because of floods when the Sabah Wildlife Department sent a team to the area.

They had just set up a rope bridge about four metres to the nearest point of dry ground.

The orang utan, with her baby clinging onto her back, climbed down the tree and grabbed hold of the rope that was thrown to her, said a WWF spokesman.
The orang utan then pulled herself closer toward dry land and swam “like a dog”, the spokesman said.

The mother and baby were fed, and tended for about 30 minutes before being released into the jungle.

It is generally believed that orang utan are non-swimmers because they supposedly fear water.

The pictures proved that if they were desperate enough, they could actually swim.

The Lok Kawi Wildlife Park nearby keeps its orang utan in an enclosure surrounded by a moat.

But there is no record of any of the animals swimming across to escape.

What a jovial and memorable reunion

full posting at: http://sulaimanian.wordpress.com/2009/03/08/what-a-jovial-and-memorable-reunion/

Thanks to Raja Kamarul for taking the initiative to have the gathering at his Aryani resort hotel in Merchang. Despite a day entertaining guests for his daughter’s wedding the entire afternoon, he still has the stamina be with us throughout the gathering.

Many turn up and were excited with the invitation. Some specially flew or drove all the way for this special occasion. Though most were of the MCE/HSC 72/74 batch but a handful were from the junior batches – including myself.

To some, after not having met for more than 30 years, it is not easy to recognize even your close buddy at first meeting. That was what Fauzi Ismail experienced. After talking with Bukhori for a good 5 minutes about their USM days, he asked Bukhori “eh, there is another friend doing Pharmacy …  Bukhori”. “I am Bukhori!” which then prompted a big laugh.

It seems most did not bother much about eating except Aziz Wahab who said “aku ssorang je duk makang”.

Thanks also to Ghaffar who brought nice old photos to share and bring back old memories. Mohamad Mustafa surprised most of us with his naughtiness details that he recalled of the past which had everybody’s big laugh.

I will try to upload the photos taken once I can get a better broadband access. It is taking too long with this supposedly 3.5G.

Let us have Bukhori, our school magazine editor, to have his full account of this memorable gathering. Everybody was looking forward for another gathering. InshaAllah.

Reunion – Celebrating Two Generations of Sulaimanians!

from: http://sulaimanian.wordpress.com/2009/03/05/reunion/

Reunion … reunion … reunion ….

That seems to be the topic many ex-Sulaimanians are talking about these days. In the sulaimanian70s yahoogroup, the questions and requests by many for a long seek reunion seems to be the hottest topic the last few days. In some of the mails I received and those comments in this The Sulaimanians blog, it also seems that many are looking forward for A REUNION.

The said reunion that we are talking about has to be something grand that should encompasses a wide range of ages – if possible all – from the beginning until as recent as last year. It should be an event to celebrate for the school too [thus the school would be the most likely venue].

I remember when SS celebrated the Silver Jubilee, it was a grand event and many ex-Sulaimanians attended the forum of the old boys – but that was long time ago in 1975. I did not hear anything about the Golden Jubilee [should been in year 2000]. To have another jubilee celebration then we have to wait for the Diamond in 2025 – if we are still around.

But we can have a celebration for the 60th year instead – next year.

The most recent grand reunion that I remember attending was organised by among others arwah Datuk Razali Ismail [Razali Ismail ‘Bapa Pendidikan’ Kuala Terengganu] – he was then the State Education Officer and I believed the school headmaster then was also ex-Sulamanian too. I cannot remember exactly when – was it 2002 or 2003 or earlier? The event managed to gather about a couple hundreds from those of the 60s and 70s. But that is not the scale we should be targeting. I would like to see a real grand gathering. At least we should target for 1,000 former students of SS – or more.

Anyhow, I was told that a protem committee for SS alumni had been formed. As appeared in the newspaper recently – Calling all SMKSS alumni – the protem committee is planning to have the first Annual General Meeting (AGM). We shall look forward for the event.

Thus, maybe we should let this newly formed committee to drive for the events. But a grand event need elaborate planning. Thus, to celebrate it next year as the 60th anniversary may be a reasonable time frame to work from – and a theme such as “Celebrating Two Generations of Sulaimanians” can be one suggestion [as we now have father/mother and children as former students – or a third generation already for some!]. At the same time, we may contribute in terms of ideas and suggestions to have a grand celebration for the school reunion.

But while waiting for the “grand reunion” the small scale simple gathering among classmates, hotelites and various sub-group should continue. Cheer up Sulaimanians!!!

Two Reunions In A Day

After getting two calls from long lost Sulaimanians in a day, we had a reunion among some of us. Bukhori decided to have lunch and a small reunion at his house in SS19 Subang Jaya. Surprisingly, the simply organised get together [thanks to Bukhori and family] turn out to be an enjoyable one. We had so many things to tell and to catch up [and especially the host had so many to recollect our memory] it lasted over 4 hours (or even more for those who came much earlier).

Those who came were:

Reunion at Bukhori’s house 1 March 2009

[R-L] Gerard Royan, Soh Wee Chong, Karim Omar (me), Syed Mohd Zaid, Shaharudin Ibrahim, Syed Abdul Fattah, Bukhori Abu Bakar (host), Abdul Ghaffar Mohd Nor, Abu Latiffi and Mohd Kamal Omar

This is just a quick brief  update – hoping someone among those above would be writing a post soon with photos taken to be included.

Earlier in the morning it was another reunion among those who were with the Persatuan Mahasiswa Islam Universiti Pertanian Malaysia (PMIUPM) in Bangi  [I was the Vice President in 1980-81 – besides other positions prior to that].

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More comments at http://sulaimanian.wordpress.com/2009/03/01/two-reunions-in-a-day/ [with additional photos]