Web Headlines

Headlines from around the Web for Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2008
Compiled by Melanie Bender

New York Presses To Deploy More Bioweapons Sensors

The Washington Post

New York City officials last month quietly activated some of the nation's newest generation of early warning sensors to detect a biological attack. But city officials say their effort to expand the program has run into surprising resistance from the White House, which is not widely deploying the machines.

Alternative Offshore Locations Emerge for 2008

NetworkWorld

Gartner recently released a list of some 30 countries it identified as suitable for offshore locations. The firm also forecasts spending on offshore services this year to increase by 60 percent in Europe and 40 percent in the United States, making the need for alternative locations more critical.

Passport Card with Chatty RFID Chip Draws Privacy Ire

ComputerWorld

A proposed new RFID-enabled passport card intended for use by Americans frequently travelling to Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and the Caribbean poses serious security and privacy risks for users, the Centers for Democracy and Technology warned this week.

Data Center Operator Cuts Costs by Going Green

InformationWeek

365 Main said it saved $54,000 in electricity costs last year by participating in an energy consumption incentive program in California. While data centers can curb their energy consumption through virtualization software and server consolidation, most of 365 Main's savings was achieved by shifting energy use at the company's San Francisco data center away from peak time.

Erroneous Voting Machine Decertification Leads to More Troubles in Colorado

The Denver Post

After Colorado Secretary of State Mike Koffman incorrectly decertified the electronic voting machines used by several Denver counties, a clerk said he would recertify the machines if someone appealed the decision. However, state laws require a more involved appeals process.

Mailing to 260,000 in Wisconsin Shows Social Security Numbers

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

About 260,000 participants in Medicaid programs were sent a recent mailing that included the recipients' Social Security numbers above their names on the address labels, the state Department of Health and Family Services said Tuesday. The number included another digit and no dashes, so the digits might not be immediately recognized by many as a Social Security number, state officials said.

Sweden Tops 2008 E-Government Readiness Report; U.S. Drops to Fourth

Government Technology

The United Nations' 2008 E-Government Readiness Report ranks countries by e-government development. This year's 250-plus page report indicates that while governments are moving forward in e-government development around the world, most lack the investment needed to move from e-government applications to a more integrated connected governance stage.

DOE IG Reviews Security at Oak Ridge

Government Computer News

Additional security protocol training for employees, better information sharing with local counterintelligence officials and periodic review of laptop PC security procedures are among the recommendations made by the Energy Department’s inspector general after an investigation into a security breach at the department’s Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge, Tenn.

UGA Contacting 4,000 After Server Breached by Hacker

The Macon Telegraph

University of Georgia officials are trying to contact more than 4,000 current, former and perspective residents of a university housing complex after a hacker was able to access a server containing personal information, including Social Security numbers.

EPA Seeks New Life for Old Cellphones

The New York Times

By the agency’s reckoning, as many as 150 million cellphones are taken out of service each year. The phones contain metals, plastics, glass and chemicals, all of which require energy to mine and make, and many of which could be hazardous if they end up in landfills and leach into the ground. Moreover, many old cellphones still work and can be donated to charities or distributed to poor people.