Sean Michael Kerner

In many ways, Linux cuts out the middleman by enabling users to get at the source code and freely download an operating system. Yet for Linux vendor Red Hat (NYSE: RHT), the middleman — in the form of partner relationships — is a key foundation for financial success. Red Hat is now expanding its partner […]

From the ‘Do Not Pass Go, Do Not Collect $200‘ files: How does one man in Florida (along with two co-conspirators in Russia) steal 130 million credit numbers? It all starts with a trojan and a SQL injection attack that creates a back-door.  Yes there are problems with technology security. In my view though, there […]

From the “If You Can’t Beat Them Go Open Source‘ files: URL shortening service tr.im is going open source. That’s right – after a week in which they first were planning to go kaput, then got resurrected – this week Eric Woodward, the guy behind tr.im is planning to set it all free. It’s a […]

Novell is making it easier for Linux users to use content developed with Microsoft’s Silverlight media framework. The company today rolled out a new milestone release of Moonlight, its effort to bring Silverlight to Linux. The new Moonlight 2.0 beta adds critical new security and performance features to the release as it tracks Microsoft’s ongoing […]

From the ‘you should have updated weeks ago, slacker!’ files: Mozilla is now formally encouraging its Firefox 3.0.x users, to migrate to Firefox 3.5 by way of an update notification. I personally upgraded when Firefox 3.5 came out 6 weeks ago, but there are always lots of people that for whatever reason, don’t upgrade right […]

From the ‘rare praise‘ files: Last week, Linux was tagged with a local NULL pointer flaw that could have led to a privilege escalation issue. Linux founder Linus Torvalds pushed a patch upstream quickly and now that patch is in the Linux 2.6.31 -rc6 milestone. Torvalds notes in the 2.6.31 rc6 releases notes that the […]

From the ‘Birthday‘ files: The Debian Linux distribution celebrates its 16th anniversary this week (official birthday is:  August 16, 1993). It sure has been an interesting ride. When Debian turned 15 last year, I asked if they were still relevant. It’s a question that still can be asked now.  Debian in some ways is arguably […]

Tens of millions of people around the world use Adobe’s Flash and PDF reader technologies. How many of them update regularly? The issue of updated Flash and Adobe Acrobat PDF clients is an important one, as Adobe recently patched both technologies for security vulnerabilities that could expose users to risk. Yet security vendor Trusteer recently […]

What does reggae singer Sean Paul, Grammy-nominated rock band Paramore, R&B singer Trey Songz and rock band Halestorm all have in common? They all have media Web sites built on top of Cisco’s EOS social networking platform. And they all highlight the direction in which the networking equipment giant sees its ambitious foray into social […]

From the ‘network admins know all‘ files: China’s Green Dam content filtering software may not necessarily go into all new PCs sold in China after all.  Chinese news service Xinhua reported Thursday, that China’s Minister of Industry and Information Technology, Li Yizhong said, that installation of Green Dam will be up to users and will […]