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Posts with tag michael crooker

Filed under: Security, News, Windows, Microsoft

Man sues Microsoft after FBI cracks security on his Windows PC

Windows XP Security CenterMichael Crooker goes and gets himself arrested in 2004 for selling an air rifle with a silencer. The ATF seizes his computer but can't access the files. So they turn it over to the FBI, who cracks the security.

What do they find? Video of the Crooker and his girlfriend having sex, medical records, evidence that he surfed pornographic web sites, family photos, and files that should have been protected under attorney-client privilege.

But here's the thing. Crooker's not taking this lying down. Instead, he's gone and sued Microsoft, saying he had set Internet Explorer to erase his search history every five days, and that he had loaded security software on his PC.

Crooker claims Hewlett-Packard and Circuit City, where he bought the computer, have already settled up. But he's seeking $200 thousand from Microsoft. Sure, he could have purchased more advanced security software, but he says he bought into claims that his computer was safe.

But really, does anyone advertise that their software is so secure that even the FBI can't break into it? Of course We're not saying that the FBI has the most advanced cracking software available. What I'm saying is that unless Microsoft advertised that Windows XP was so secure that even the government couldn't crack it, we don't think Microsoft is guilty of false advertising. And what product manufacturer is going to promote its product as being able to evade government detection? Well, aside from radar detector manufacturers, that is.

[via Techdirt]

Featured Time Waster

Forumwarz - a potentially offensive time waster

I pwn UAfter spending the better part of an hour on Forumwarz I still can't decide if it's just sick or if it's kind of fun. It's a bit like a car wreck on the highway. I know I shouldn't be looking but I can't quite turn away.

It's sick, it's twisted, it's the internet on it's worst level and darn it, it's kind of fun. At least for a little while.

Forumwarz is a parody role-playing game that takes place on the internet - or at least the Forumwarz version of it. Your goal is to complete missions that are given to you through a mock up of GoogleTalk called Sentrillion.

Your first "friend" is ShallowEsophagus who begins giving you missions to pwn various forums by being a troll. Depending on the character type you are assigned at start up, you have tools like drooling on the keyboard or bashing your head on the keyboard that you can use to destroy forum threads and eventually, pwn a forum.

Future missions involve buying illegal software from the Russians, pwning more difficult forums and other internet oddness.

Completing missions gives you cash, called Flezz in game, and items that you can pawn or use in other missions. The game is NOT for those easily offended. It's crass, coarse and there are frequent f-bombs in the fake chat sessions.

This is also a game for a more mature audience as it requires you to shop at the Drugs R Fun store to get various concoctions to improve your playing, engage in certain cyber activities to get more Flezz and just generally use a more adult perspective.

If you can get past that, here are the more enjoyable and time-wasting aspects.

View more Time Wasters

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