Security Bullet In

Microsoft has finally turned over technical documetation to the EC that may let non-Microsoft work-group servers achieve interoperability with Windows servers.

The EC is not amused that it has taken Microsoft so long to comply with its 2004 anti-competition ruling (they have a point -- two years to turn over server interface specs?), and have asked potential licensees to review the documentation.

An EU press release said: "The European Commission can confirm that Microsoft has submitted a revised version of the Technical Documentation with a view to meeting the requirements of the Commission’s March 2004 Decision."

"In December 2004, the Court of First Instance (CFI) rejected a request from Microsoft to suspend the application of the March 2004 Decision. Microsoft subsequently committed to and missed a number of deadlines for delivering complete and accurate specifications."

I think it's heartening that IT managers are thinking about the environmental impact of technology -- and the board about the obvious business case for increased energy efficiency.

However, according to IT Week: "The vast majority of IT chiefs regard improving energy efficiency as an increasingly important priority but relatively few have taken practical steps to reduce their energy footprint."

Now is definitely the time to take steps to reduce energy consumption, globally.

From the Reporters Without Borders Internet Freedom desk.

Numbers of Chinese Internet-users are reporting that they can no longer connect to either the Chinese or English versions of the collaborative encyclopaedia Wikipedia. The English version was reopened on 10 October and the Chinese version was made available again only three days ago. It is not yet possible to tell whether Wikipedia is unavailable because of a change of heart by the authorities or because of technical problems.

Following the Queen's Speech today which promised to press on with ID Cards, here's an interesting comment piece in the Guardian which is talking a lot of sense:

"The temptation to become irrational in the fight against home-grown terrorism in Britain is equally dangerous. It's easy for politicians and their friends in the tabloid press to scream for ID cards and every possible form of mass surveillance without having to account for the effectiveness of such measures in the fight against terrorism. It is easy for the same people to avert their eyes to the internment and torture that have taken place since 9/11 and to mumble that the greater good is probably being served somehow. They are guilty of careless, impatient utopianism which is not so distant from the neoconservative position - one more push, one more law, one more restriction and we're in the promised land of total order.

It is doubtful whether this approach will do much to defeat terrorism, but it will certainly compromise the essential character of our society and that is important, because we stand for something that is greater than the threat we face."

James Hall, the new CEO of the UK Identity and Passport service, has just said in a web chat that the National Identity Register will be part of the national critical infrastructure and be "securely accredited".

"Our intention is that the National Identity Register will form part of the critical national infrastructure of the UK and will therefore be security accredited to the highest standard, in common with existing highly secure databases. And around this database we will have very tight controls to ensure that those able to access information have been security vetted; it will be a criminal offence to make unauthorised disclosures from the database. Of course, we recognise that criminals are getting increasingly sophisticated and we work continuously with the Government’s security community to ensure we keep ahead of them," said Hall.

We'll be chasing security experts for comment on this statement tomorrow, so do come back and read the full story.