The error means that users of Windows 7 see a totally black screen after logging on to the system. The firm said it was looking into reports that suggest its latest security update was the cause the problem. Reports suggest the flaw also affects Vista, XP and other systems.Software firm Prevx, which has issued a fix for the problem, says “millions” of people may be affected.
“Users have resorted to reloading Windows as a last ditch effort to fix the problem,” the firm’s David Kennerley wrote in a blog post.
“We hope we can help a good many of you avoid the need to reload.”

Unknown problem
The firm said its fix did not work in all cases.
“There can be many causes,” said Mr Kennerley.
“But if your black screen woes began in the last two weeks after a Windows update or after running any security program (including Prevx) to remove malware during this time then this fix will have a high probability of working.”
Mr Kennerly said the firm had identified “at least 10 different scenarios which will trigger the same black screen conditions”.
“These appear to have been around for years now,” he said.
The firm reports that the problem affects editions of Windows 7, Vista, XP, NT, and Windows 2000.

Microsoft said that people who are affected by the problem should contact its customer service line.

A spokesperson said that the reports did “not match any known issues” documented by the firm.
It has not issued a fix for the problem, which causes the desktop, task bar, system tray and side bar to disappear, according to reports.
The “black screen of death” moniker is a play on the “blue screen of death”, which appears when Microsoft operating systems crash.

Source

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8388253.stm

VANCOUVER — There are two new scarlet letters in academia.
Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, B.C., recently introduced a grade called FD to deal with cheaters.

The letters stand for failure with academic dishonesty.
Rob Gordon, the university’s director of criminology, said the FD grade was introduced to catch cheaters who use the Internet and was part of a larger package of reforms “relating to student misconduct issues and honesty.”
“It is a penalty that can only be imposed by department heads, not by individual professors,” Gordon, acting chairman of the university’s senate committee on academic integrity, said Thursday.
“It would be used in egregious cases of academic dishonesty.”
Gordon said while most cheating in the past involved copying essays, it has now evolved into students cheating by using online essay-writing companies as well as high-tech and sometimes low-tech devices during exams.
The new grade, introduced in May, has been considered but not yet given out, Gordon said.
The FD would remain on a student’s transcripts during their time at SFU and for two years after graduation, which could affect the possibility of postgraduate studies or even getting a job if a potential employer asks to see transcripts.
Severity of the offence and incidences of previous cheating would both be considered before handing out an FD.
“If a student thinks they have been unfairly dealt with, they have the opportunity to appeal (to the ombudsman),” said Gordon. “I thought we would have a lot of push-back from students but (student response) has been overwhelmingly favourable.”
Gordon said in one extreme case a few years ago, a student had their degree rescinded after it was learned they plagiarized their thesis almost entirely from six sources. But he said that, overall, cheating seems to be on the decline.
The University of Alberta hands cheaters an F8 or F9 grade, which can be reduced after three years to an F.

Every day individuals fib, lie and embellish their way through the work day, not realizing that there are repercussions. The consequences may not always be as severe as termination, but it can be a reduction in bonus, a permanent mark on your record or a poor score on your yearly review, not to mention the damage done to your reputation among fellow colleagues.  What follows are 4 frequent fibs that every single should avoid in the workplace.

Pulling the Healthy Sick Card
If you call in sick when you’re feeling perfectly fine you better be smart about it. Taking off one too many hangover Fridays, or regularly turning the day before calendared holiday 3 day weekends into your personal 4 day long weekends, will no doubt cause suspicious minds.  So come clean to your supervisor and ask that these  be reported as vacation days, or try to schedule your healthy sick days on less conspicuous days during the week.

The Faux Appointment/Emergency
Leaving work under false medical or other emergent pretenses is asking for trouble. Take it from Kristine who played hooky to get prepped for a date and was spotted getting her hair blown out at the salon by one of her co-workers. All it takes is one sighting or slip and you can lose your credibility, especially when medical or family issues are used as an excuse.

Pointing the Finger
When people’s jobs and egos are at stake, blaming others when you’re at fault can lead to war in the workplace. Remember, it’s a politics game and you’ll lose if you try to dodge the bullet by feigning innocence. Folks, the only way to keep allies and integrity intact is to play fair and take ownership of your conduct and work in good times and in bad.

Fudging Hours & Fudging Expenses
Working to make sure you get in those all those billable hours is seriously stressful. You may hit your targets by rounding up to the nearest hour but don’t press your luck. This is a serious offense, and companies’ billings are increasingly being examined by their clients and their clients’ audit units or accountants. If you’re a certified professional, lying here may not cost you just a client, but your license.

Cybercriminals are improving a malicious software program that can be installed on ATMs running Microsoft’s Windows XP operating system that records sensitive card details, according to security vendor Trustwave.
The malware has been found on ATMs in Eastern European countries, according to a Trustwave report.

The malware records the magnetic stripe information on the back of a card as well as the PIN (Personal Identification Number), which would potentially allow criminals to clone the card in order to withdraw cash.
The collected card data, which is encrypted using the DES (Data Encryption Standard) algorithm, can be printed out by the ATM’s receipt printer, Trustwave wrote.
The malware is controlled via a GUI that is displayed when a so-called “trigger card” is inserted into the machine by a criminal. The trigger card causes a small window to appear that gives its controller 10 seconds to pick one of 10 command options using the ATM’s keypad.
“The malware contains advanced management functionality allowing the attacker to fully control the compromised ATM through a customized user interface built into the malware,” Trustwave wrote.
A criminal can then view the number of transactions, print card data, reboot the machine and even uninstall the malware. Another menu option appears to allow the ejection of an ATM’s cash cassette.
Trustwave has collected multiple versions of the malware. The company believes that the particular one it analyzed is “a relatively early version of the malware and that subsequent versions have seen significant additions to its functionality.”