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A rapidly spreading computer virus nicknamed “Code Red” was designed to launch a denial-of-service attack against the web site of the White House. But it hasn’t been able to take the site down, so far, because the White House web site has been moved to a different address. Additionally, the worm’s coding is flawed, and it appears that it is not sending out as much data as intended. “Code Red,” which is actually a worm, not a virus, has infected 225,000 powerful servers, which it has tried to mobilize into bombarding Whitehouse.gov with data so as to knock it off-line. Authorities have not determined who wrote the virus, which also vandalizes the web sites that it infiltrates with a message saying, “Hacked by Chinese!” Security experts say there’s no evidence that Code Red was created in China or even in Asia. Code Red has not been contained, and the FBI has issued a warning about it, considering it a “serious threat” that could take down other online networks.
Inside.com launches pay as you read
Media news web site Inside.com, as promised, has begun charging for all its content. Reading a news brief from the Inside Dope section costs 15 cents, and regular articles cost 40 cents—already more than the price of many daily newspapers. Long stories cost $2.95. The site is also peddling specialized reports and services for $595 to $1,500. Paying for and getting an article supposedly takes no more than 20 seconds, using the Media Pass system that was developed by Brill Media and Primedia’s MediaCentral. Readers also have the option of paying $3.95 a month or $30 a year for subscriptions. Inside has not specified how many people are paying for individual stories, although Inside head Steven Brill has been quoted as saying there are “quite a few people” doing do. The company says it isn’t revealing the number of people who buy any given article, so as not to make writers feel bad.
Court: Napster, you're back online for now
After a blackout that has lasted nearly three weeks, music-swapping service Napster has received permission from a federal appeals court to return to life, at least for a little while. The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that Napster may restart operations—unless the three-judge panel decides otherwise after further review. In tentatively allowing Napster back online, the appeals court overturned a ruling by federal judge and Napster nemesis Marilyn Hall Patel. Napster took itself off-line on July 2 in an effort to upgrade its song-blocking capacity, in compliance with court orders to forbid the trading of copyrighted material. On July 11, Patel ordered Napster to remain off-line until it could prove that it was capable of blocking 100 percent of copyrighted material, since it claimed it could block only 99 percent at the time. While Napster executives have indicated that the 9th Circuit Court’s decision pleases them, they have not yet said whether file-swapping will resume.
Actresses vying for 'Most Downloaded Woman'
Danni Ashe, the pinup and internet porn impresario who last year wrested the title of “World’s Most Downloaded Woman” from swimsuit model Cindy Margolis, has some new competition. Two women are pursuing Ashe’s Most Downloaded crown. Blond Australian actress Sarah Jane has appealed to her fans to help her claim Ashe’s title—no small feat given that Ashe’s busty image has been downloaded more than one billion times in the past six years. Sarah Jane’s fans are being asked to download her comely mug frequently and furiously on or before August 1. But Sarah Jane is not the only contender. BBC Radio is asking fans of 72-year-old British TV actress Kathy Staff, who stars in a show called “Last of the Summer Wine,” to download her image enough times to put her in the running as well. No matter which woman wins, the Guinness Book of World Records no longer cares. Citing the difficulty of measuring downloads and hits, the record book has discontinued its “Most Downloaded Woman” category.
Baltimore fire disrupts internet connections
A freight train derailment in Baltimore disrupted pretty much everything in the city on Wednesday, including internet access. The accident sparked a fire in a downtown tunnel, which still had not been extinguished as of yesterday afternoon. The fire led to power outages and took down sections of WorldCom’s UUNet internet network. The incident has interrupted internet access all along the East Coast, although WorldCom has not estimated publicly how many web users were affected. Nor has the company announced when it expects to restore service, given that the flames make repairs to UUNet hazardous. Meanwhile, WorldCom is laboring to reroute online traffic. The train, which bore a payload of toxic chemicals, derailed around 3 p.m. EST on Wednesday.
Microsoft builds next UltimateTV with News Corp.
Microsoft has revealed plans to combine an upgraded version of its UltimateTV service with News Corp.'s substantial satellite-broadcasting reach. In an email sent to employees, Microsoft brass indicated they will expand their interactive-TV pursuits to include the approximately 85 million people abroad that subscribe to Rupert Murdoch's Sky Global Networks. UltimateTV currently makes its way to only about 30,000 U.S. subscribers through DirecTV, a General Motors property soon to be acquired by News Corp., with investment help from Microsoft. UltimateTV allows digital-video recording and other interactive features like email access to users who pay a monthly fee to DirecTV and buy a $300 set-top box. Microsoft is presently developing future versions of UltimateTV geared toward particular countries and languages.
July 20, 2001 © 2001 Media Life
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