The new issue of Hakin9 is on the stands now

The latest issue (2009/4) of Hakin9 (an IT security magazine) is now on the stands (I've personally seen it at my local Borders and Barnes & Noble stores -- not MicroCenter though). The current issue looks at computer forensics. There are also articles about self-signed digital certificates and malware analysis. Get more information by clicking on the cover below (if you cannot see the cover, then go to http://www.hakin9.org/en.

Memory cards for DSLRs

If you use UDMA memory cards in your DSLR, consider this real world test (spoiler - Lexar Professional UDMA 300x Speed CF won): http://photofocus.com/2009/06/30/long-term-test-udma-flash-memory-lexar-won/

Fun with Adobe update

If you let Acrobat or Acrobat Reader update itself, you may have to check your preferences. When I let Acrobat Reader apply the latest update, it changed my JavaScript preference from OFF back to ON. If your preference is to leave it OFF, then verify this preference every time you update Acrobat or Acrobat Reader.
Very few PDF documents require JavaScript. Leaving JavaScript OFF helps to protect you from JavaScript exploits -- when a document does need it, Acrobat will ask you whether you want to turn it back on and YOU can decide for yourself whether you want to turn it back on, rather than letting the document decide. But ... if you turn it on, remember that it is not temporary - you will have to turn it back OFF manually.

DC3 Digital Forensics Challenge

Accepted into and started downloading the files for the DC3 Digital Forensics Challenge. I have until November to submit my results.

Need to protect your PDF document ?

Click here for the post that tells you the easy two step process.

Like the new picture ?

The South Park web site has a feature that lets you create a South Park character for yourself; that's where my picture came from -- I use it everywhere. A friend from Twitter, Ryan Waughon, uses a Simpsons character as his avatar. Both web sites use Flash, so you will have to enable Javascript and Flash when you get there.

Other avatar creators are here.

Steve Jobs

For all you discerning Apple fans out there, here is a picture of a plush Steve Jobs I recently picked up. He's sitting next to my wife's iMac (out of frame to the right) and holding a circa-80s(?) Macintosh pen that I got from a trade show a long time ago. You can get your own here (without the pen and chair, of course).