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Mozilla released an update to its award-winning, free web browser that fixes several security issues.

The release notes on Firefox 1.5.0.4 states:

Firefox 1.5.0.4 is a security update that is part of our ongoing program to provide a safe Internet experience for our customers. We recommend that all users upgrade to this latest version.

• Improvements to product stability
• Several security fixes

Security is always a serious issue (if you do a lot of online banking and purchasing like me) and I always keep Firefox up-to-date, but 1.5.0.3 was crashing on me all the time. I’ve been using 1.5.0.4 non-stop for two whole days now and it seems a lot more rock-solid stable.

Being new to Wordpress, I scour the web as much as possible to learn more about it. Nothing scares me more than finding out that it can be hacked into, especially when I don’t know much about it. According to CountZero on his blog, multiple security vulnerabilities were found in Wordpress 2.0.1 (which is what I’m using at the moment) by a Spain-based security research team called Neo Security Team (NST). You can find the full published advisories on their website.

There is currently a discussion thread on the Wordpress support site regarding this and mentions of the new 2.0.2 in the works to fix the problems. CountZero has even kindly provided instructions and a small patch to fix what he thinks are the two major issues.

The first ever virus for the Mac OS X was discovered. This worm, called Leap-A, spreads through the iChat software, an instant messaging system that’s available only on the Mac.

Apple however, claims that it is technically NOT a virus due to the fact that it requires the user to actually download and launch it.

Either way, does this mean Mac users can’t expect to be smug anymore now?

Via MacWorld.

Are you getting sleazy popup ads that refuse to go away even when your web browser is closed? Found some new icons or shortcuts on your desktop? Web browser keeps loading the same page over and over again even when you have set your default start page? Finding your PC slowing down all of a sudden, even when you have no programs running?

Congratulations! Your PC is infected with Spyware or even worse, SpywareS (yes you can have more than one at a time). But what IS Spyware and why is it called that? Well because in technical terms, that’s what it does. It is a program that uses a live internet connection to pass information between your computer and an internet ad-server. The server sends advertisements to your computer, and according to these companies, your computer collects information about which ads you’ve seen and which ads you’ve clicked and then sends that to the server. This is all done in the background, without you interacting with the program in anyway.

This year on Valentine’s Day in the UK marks the last day that credit cardholders will be asked to sign for their purchases. Shoppers who do not know their chip and PIN details will be turned away. Half a million people has been estimated to have yet receive a chip and PIN card.

Have you received yours yet?

Via National Consumer Council